


Silly Love Songs

by orphan_account



Category: Glee
Genre: Bi Sam, F/M, M/M, Multi, poly blaine, too many ships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:35:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 27,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26187316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Why did love have to be so complicated?
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson/Sam Evans, Blaine Anderson/Sebastian Smythe, Sam Evans/Mercedes Jones
Comments: 48
Kudos: 22





	1. Blow The Candles Out

Sebastian lit a candle, then placed it on the chess table. "There we go. A candlelit dinner, minus the dinner." He smiled, then sat in one of the chairs. 

Blaine, who was sitting at the other side of the table, sighed. "Sebby, last time you did this, you almost burnt the school down."

"I did not! And even if I did, I learned my lesson." 

"Why can't we go out for our dates? Why do we have to have them at school? It's...so public," he said, looking around. There were people all around. David and Wes sitting on the couch only a few feet away, Nick and Jeff studying on the stairs...

"It's romantic! Can you name one other place with such a nice chandelier? One that doesn't cost a lot of money? I even have a candle!" 

"Well, if I remember correctly, this was our last date," Blaine pointed out. "And when I complained then, you said we'd do something different this time."

"This is different! I didn't have a candle last time!" 

"You don't seem very dedicated to this relationship."

"What do you mean? I lit a candle, Blaine! A candle!" Sebastian gestured to his candle. "You want another? I can light another."

"Can you shut up about the candle and tell me one thing you've done for me?" He paused. "Lighting a candle doesn't count."

Sebastian thought for a moment. "No, I guess not. But if you could just appreciate the candle-"

"Sebastian," Blaine interrupted. "I really think... This isn't working out. Neither of us seem happy with the relationship. We're not putting anything into it. I... I still love you. A lot. I just don't see this working out."

Sebastian frowned, but nodded. "I understand. Well, I hope we can still be friends. And if not, I'll make your life a living hell." He smiled.

"Right... Well, I'd be happy to be your friend," Blaine said. He looked at Sebastian for a moment, then at the candle, then he got up and left.

Sebastian stayed where he was. He picked up a chess piece and fidgeted with it as he stared at the candle. Of course he wasn't surprised by this, not at all. He saw it coming, and he was dreading it, which is why he kept having all of their dates in front of their friends, in hopes that would delay it a bit. He eventually blew the candle out and went up to his dorm, which, unfortunately for both of them, he shared with Blaine.

Blaine didn't even look over when Sebastian came in. He was staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything that happened that day and where he would go from here. He didn't really like sharing a dorm with Sebastian anymore, which had been the greatest thing ever when they were dating. He could probably ask to switch dorms, but he'd still have to see Sebastian in class... 

Would it be dramatic to switch schools just to avoid an ex? Definitely. But that was exactly what Blaine decided to do.


	2. The New Guy

"Star Wars isn't just another dumb sci-fi franchise. It has a lot of depth," Sam explained. "Like... They want us to think Luke and Leia will get together, but turns out, they're twins. And their father is Anakin Skywalker. Also known as Darth Vader. Then the main villain of the new trilogy is Kylo Ren. His real name is Ben Solo, he's the son of Han and Leia. I really think you should watch it."

"Mhm. Very interesting," Mercedes said. She hadn't been paying attention to the conversation. She loved Sam, but that didn't mean she loved everything about him. She definitely didn't love it when he rambled about Star Wars.

Mr. Schuester walked into the choir room, followed by a new member. "Hey everyone. Before we start, please welcome our newest member, Blaine Anderson!"

"As in the Warbler?" Rachel asked.

"He said Blaine Anderson, not Blaine Warbler," Brittany pointed out. "This is probably his brother."

"Dalton is our rivals, Mr. Schue," Kurt said. "And sectionals is only a few weeks away. We're going against them. Remember what happened when Jesse joined? It's that all over again."

"Oh, I'm not here to sabotage you or spy, if that's what you're thinking," Blaine said. "I was a Warbler, that's true. But I'm not anymore, I'm one of you."

"One of us? What are we, a cult?" Santana asked. 

"Yes, that's exactly what we are," Quinn replied. "And if we're doing human sacrifices, I nominate Rachel."

"Guys, enough!" Mr. Schuester said. "Is this really the impression you want to give off? Blaine, find a seat. Anywhere. Everyone here will be more than happy to welcome you. And if they're not, I'll handle it."

Blaine decided to sit by someone who didn't make it extremely obvious that they didn't want him there. He chose a seat in front of Mercedes and Sam. He stayed quiet during the entire rehearsal. The whole time, he wondered what Sebastian was doing, how he felt, what was going through his mind.

Kurt kept looking over at Blaine, and eventually moved to sit beside him. "I still don't trust you, by the way."

"I never asked you to," Blaine said, glancing over at Kurt.

"Well, how about you tell me why you're here? Otherwise we'll all continue believing you're a spy..."

"That's a story for another day." It was too soon to talk about Sebastian. And the last thing he wanted was to give all the details about his recent breakup to a guy he just met.

"I'm not saying I trust him, but can't we give him a chance?" Tina asked. "What if he's not a spy?"

"God, you sound like Rachel," Kurt said, rolling his eyes. 

Rachel stood up. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kurt turned to her. "Jesse St. James."

She sat back down and crossed her arms, facing away from the rest of the group. She tried to forget about what happened with Jesse, and didn't want to make that mistake again.

"Isn't everyone technically a rival?" Sam asked. "I mean, even Quinn, Santana, and Brittany are. Even I am. But you put that aside. I guess it's different since we don't compete against each other though... But we're still enemies! Or, supposed to be, I guess." He put a hand on Blaine's shoulder. "I was the new guy here too. And these guys accepted me and made me feel welcome. It helped a lot. So that's what I'll do for you, whether they agree with it or not."

"Sam is right, guys," Mr. Schuester said. "Now, let's move on to this week's assignment. Duets again. But this time, I pick who you're singing with." He grabbed a notebook where he had previously written the partner assignments. "Okay. We have Rachel with Quinn, Mercedes with Tina, Artie with Mike, Kurt with Santana, Brittany with Finn, and... Sam with Blaine. And I don't want to hear any complaints."


	3. Chapter 3

After rehearsal, Blaine chose to stay behind until everyone else left. He didn't trust that nobody would bother him, and the chances of that happening were lower in the choir room. After Kurt left, Sam moved next to Blaine. "Hi. I was thinking we could get started with the assignment, or at least pick a song."

"Sure. Do you have any ideas?" Blaine asked. He hadn't even taken a second to think of a song idea. He was too busy thinking about everything else that was going on.

"I have some. I wrote them down." He handed his notebook to Blaine. "Schue was talking a lot, so I stopped listening and made this list instead. You don't have to pick from these. I just wrote down every duet I could think of that wasn't too romantic."

Blaine read over the list. "Hm... Shallow seems like a good idea. You mean from A Star Is Born, right?"

"Yeah. And you could totally be Gaga if you want."

He smiled a bit and handed the notebook back. "Thank you, although I would be happy to sing either part."

"You'd kill it as Gaga. I know you would. Anyway, we don't have to practice today. It's kinda short notice, and I should get going... Maybe tomorrow. First, uh... Here's my number. So we can figure out a plan." He wrote his number on the corner of his notebook paper, then tore it off and gave it to Blaine. "See you around." Sam smiled at Blaine quickly before leaving. 

"I have to go too," Mr. Schuester said. "I'm in charge of detention. You're more than welcome to stay. I'll lock up before I leave. I'll be back in an hour." He left as well, leaving Blaine alone.

That was when he broke down. He'd been holding back his emotions since the breakup, and he couldn't do it anymore. He was sad about it, even though it was his choice and he knew it was for the best. 

Sam came back in. "Hey, I forgot my bag, so... Woah." He ran over to Blaine and sat next to him. "Are you okay? Are you crying? What happened?"

"I'm fine, I just..." He took a deep breath. "I had a pretty...bad breakup..." 

"Oh... Sorry about that... If you wanna talk about it, I'll listen. Or I can go. Or... I don't know, we can both go? It's up to you."

"I don't think I'm ready to talk about it." He wanted to, but decided it probably shouldn't be with someone he barely knew, and he wasn't sure how well it would go if Sam found out he was gay. It wasn't like he tried to hide it, but it would be best to not say anything, at least for now. "You don't have to stay. I'm leaving anyway."

"Okay. See you tomorrow then." Sam grabbed his bag and left. He wanted to help, but he wouldn't push, especially since he wasn't even sure if he and Blaine could be considered friends yet. 

Blaine put his phone on silent after it rang twice times. He didn't bother to check who was calling. Whoever it was, he wasn't in the right place to talk. After about an hour, he checked. Three missed calls, one voicemail, and five texts, all from Sebastian. He considered at least seeing what they were, but decided to ignore them, at least for now. Just until he knew he was over Sebastian and couldn't possibly go back to him. Even though he knew he shouldn't, he almost felt like he wanted to, but knew he'd regret it immediately.


	4. Lockers

Blaine got to school early the next day. Dalton started classes a half hour earlier than McKinley, so it was partially out of habit. He was by his locker, waiting for the first bell to ring. He considered texting Sam to see if he could come so they could practice, but before he could, Kurt joined him. "Hello."

Blaine looked over at him, confused as to why he was here. "Hi..."

"Oh, this doesn't mean we're friends. I still don't trust you." 

"Can I ask you something?" Blaine paused for a moment. "If you hate me so much, why do you always follow me around?"

"Who said I hate you?" Kurt smiled a bit. "I just strongly dislike you."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

Kurt laughed a bit. "Not even close."

"You confuse me." Blaine opened his locker. He didn't really need to get anything out, he was just hoping Kurt would leave if he looked busy. 

Instead, Kurt looked over at him. "You don't have any pictures or anything in your locker? That's boring."

Blaine sighed and shut the door. "What am I supposed to put pictures of?"

Kurt shrugged. "Things you like. People you like. Don't you have a boyfriend, or at least a crush?"

"How do you know I don't have a girlfriend?" Blaine asked, crossing his arms. 

"Oh, please. I know, trust me. So, answer my question."

"That's none of your business." 

"So you do? Who is it? One of the Warblers? Or maybe someone here?"

"I told you it's none of your business!" Blaine repeated, raising his voice a bit. "I'm sorry, I just... It's not a good time, okay? We just broke up, and... I guess I'm not over him yet." 

"I understand," Kurt said. "I'm sorry for pushing. Do you need anything? I know you're still new, so I could show you around a bit. Or we could just talk so you can pretend you have a friend. Or I could leave you alone."

As much as Blaine wanted to tell Kurt to go, he decided he'd try to be nice. He'd rather make a friend than an enemy. "We can talk. Pretend to be friends, or whatever."

"Perfect." Kurt smiled. "Because I have something to tell you. I hate to break it to you, but you see that girl over there?. He gestured towards Mercedes. "That's Sam's girlfriend. Straight and taken. Unfortunate, isn't it?"

"Why are you telling me this?" Blaine asked.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "I know you like him, I can tell. It's pretty obvious, sorry to say."

"I don't. And I could say it's obvious you like me. I mean, you keep following me around everywhere I go, asking if I'm single, telling me there's no chance I'll end up with another guy I barely know..."

"I have to go. I'll be late if I don't leave now. It was nice talking to you." Kurt walked away as quickly as he could.

Blaine sighed. He didn't know how to feel about Kurt. He was a little mean, but had potential to be nice. He was definitely a bit weird, but that wasn't a bad thing. Eventually Blaine turned his attention to Mercedes. She was the only familiar person in the area. He wanted to talk to her, but wasn't exactly sure how to approach her. 

Sam ran up to Mercedes. "Hey, I'm not late this time! Proud?"

Mercedes smiled a bit. "Yes, I'm very proud. What changed? Remembered to set your alarm?"

"Yeah! And I woke up early because I was excited for today."

"And why's that? I don't remember anything special happening..."

"There's not. Well, not for us, I mean. You know that duet thing we have to do for glee club? We're practicing today. During lunch and after school. I wish we could practice right now, but I don't think there's enough time... I can't wait, I know Blaine is a great singer, better than me. He's gonna sound amazing. He's probably the greatest singer in the whole club!"

Mercedes smiled a bit. "Sam, you heard him sing once at a competition, and you're already saying he's the best? What about everyone else? Like Rachel, Finn, and, oh, I don't know, me? And I don't remember the last time you were this excited to see me."

"You're the best too!" He paused. "Are you jealous of my duet partner?"

"Oh no, not at all! That's almost as ridiculous as someone being more excited about some guy they barely know than about their girlfriend!"

"I'm sorry, I don't really think there's a problem though. I'm not gonna replace you with him or anything. I'm not even into guys! But if I had to pick one-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there," Mercedes interrupted. "Maybe there isn't a problem. But if you keep talking, there might be." She left, and Sam chased after her.

Blaine had been listening to the entire conversation. He was confused, he had no idea what he'd just heard. Was Kurt right? If he was... He couldn't be. He could think about this all day, but the bell rang. He ran to class, still trying to figure out what happened.


	5. Practice, You're Perfect

Blaine walked into one of the practice rooms and saw that Sam was already there. "Hey. Um, how'd you get here so quickly?"

"My last class was pretty close," Sam replied. "And I ran. I was excited to get started. I brought my guitar! I didn't know what your plan was for the music... We could do something else, or you can play if you want. I'll even let you use my guitar! I don't let anybody touch my guitar, but I'll make an exception for you."

Blaine smiled. "Thank you. You can play though, I'm not...the best at guitar. I'm sure you're great. And I don't wanna touch your guitar even though you said it's okay."

"Okay!" He took out the sheet music. "So I sing first... Do you know when to come in? Oh, and I only made one copy of the music, but you can have it. Or we could both look."

"I do know it, but maybe I should look in case." Blaine moved a little closer.

"Are you sure you can see?" Sam moved even closer. "That should be good. Feel free to move over a bit more if you need to." He started tuning the guitar.

"If I get any closer, I might end up in your lap..."

Sam laughed a little. "That's true... Hey, does this sound in tune enough?"

"Um... I don't know much about tuning, but it sounds good, so sure!"

"Well, if it's not, your voice will distract from it. In a good way! Because your such a good singer. Anyway, let's get started..."

Blaine missed his entrance. He was too busy thinking, he had so much going through his head. If Sam liked him, if Kurt liked him, if he was over analyzing, how Sebastian was and if he should call back...

"Hey, B, it's you," Sam whispered, gently nudging Blaine.

"Oh, sorry." He smiled a bit and started singing. He wasn't too focused on the song, he was still thinking about everything else.

"You did great!" Sam said. "One thing though... Are you okay? You seem kinda...zoned out. Not that I was watching you, I wasn't, I just... I couldn't help but notice. You still sounded great though!"

Blaine smiled a bit. "I'm fine. Thank you. I just have a lot on my mind." He paused. He could talk about Sebastian, couldn't he? He told Kurt, and he didn't trust him nearly as much as Sam. Then he could at least get one thing off his chest. "I was thinking about my ex. I guess I'm not over him. He called me a few times yesterday. I did listen to the voicemails or read the texts... Maybe I should. But if I end up falling for him again..."

Sam frowned a bit. "Um... Maybe you should. At least see what's up. But don't fall for him again. That's a trap. Probably. I don't know. I don't know him. Just, um... Be careful. Okay? You'll be careful?"

Blaine nodded. "I'll be careful. Thank you."

Their second time practicing had much less conversation. They went through the songs a few times, but neither spoke until the end.

"That was good," Blaine said.

Sam nodded. "Very good. Well, we worked hard. You know what they say. Practice, you're perfect. Wait, no... Practice makes perfect. I didn't mean to say... Um, I meant you're performance is already perfect, it's really good, but...practice. Okay, gotta go, bye!" He smiled and ran out.


	6. Telephone

When Blaine's phone rang that night, he was expecting another call from Sebastian, but it was Sam. He smiled and answered the phone. "Hey, what's up?"

"Sorry for being awkward," Sam said. 

"It's alright. It was kind of endearing."

"Endearing? Okay... Thank you? Anyway, I was thinking about doing some kind of 'welcome to McKinley' party for you. Invite the glee club so they can get to know you a bit better. At my house. Saturday night. Would that be okay? Because it's kind of important that you're there. If it's for you."

"Sounds great!" He paused. "Is it alright if I invite a friend from Dalton?"

"Sure! As long as you're there! I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?" 

"Okay." Blaine smiled and hung up, then called Sebastian.

"Huh, it's about time you try talking to me," Sebastian said after picking up the phone.

"I'm really sorry, I just... Didn't want to risk falling for you again." He paused and took a deep breath. "My friend is having a party Saturday night and said you can come. If you want."

"Hm... I'd love to. Although I do live kind of far, and I don't exactly want to drive home whenever this party ends... How about I drive you there and back, and in exchange, you let me stay with you Saturday night?"

Blaine wasn't exactly sure how he felt about Sebastian staying with him, but he agreed anyway. He did want Sebastian there, no matter how risky.

The two continued to talk for a bit. Blaine told Sebastian all about McKinley, and Sebastian told Blaine about what happened at Dalton since he left. "There's something I should mention," Sebastian said. "Hunter. He's my new roommate. We got much closer after you left. We're not exactly dating, but... I just wanted you to know."

Blaine wasn't surprised by that at all. He always knew they were good friends, and he had been jealous of the attention Hunter received sometimes.

"So, Blainey, you got someone new yet?" Sebastian asked.

"No, not yet," Blaine replied. He knew that if he mentioned Kurt or Sam, Sebastian would figure out some way to ruin the chances of anything happening. Although he'd moved on himself, Blaine wouldn't be surprised if Sebastian wouldn't accept the possibility of Blaine doing so. He'd always been the jealous type.

"Well then, I wish you good luck," Sebastian said. "I'll call you on Friday so we can figure out a plan for Saturday, okay? And you better pick up."

Blaine nodded. "Okay, sounds good. Talk to you then."

"Yeah, bye." Sebastian hung up.

Blaine put the phone down and sighed. He didn't want Sebastian back, but he couldn't deny his feelings were still there. He loved him and wasn't sure he'd ever stop, but he did know it wasn't right. He had to move on, and that's exactly what he planned on doing.


	7. The Jacket

Blaine was sitting in the bleachers, watching the football team practice. It was a bit cold, so Sam had given him his letterman jacket earlier. It was a bit big on him, but he liked it better that way. Their plan was to work on the duet one last time after practice, since they had to perform it the next day.

Kurt was watching the practice as well. He usually did, partially just to support Finn and partially so they'd be able to go home together rather than taking separate cars. He sat beside Blaine and stayed quiet for a bit, occasionally glancing at his jacket. He rolled his eyes and took a sip of his coffee.

Blaine was the one to break the silence. "Hey, how's it going? What're you doing here?"

"Supporting Finn. He's my stepbrother, y'know," Kurt replied. "And you?" He looked at the jacket again.

"Waiting for Sam. We're supposed to work on the duet after practice." He noticed Kurt looking at the jacket. "I'm wearing this because it's cold. Not everyone wears layers like you do."

"Everyone should wear layers," Kurt said. "Then you won't have to borrow your duet partner's jacket."

"Okay, why do you care so much about whose jacket I'm wearing?"

Kurt sighed. "Blaine, maybe it was different in your old school, but here, wearing someone else's jacket sends a certain message. Everyone sees it on you and assumes you're theirs. Especially if it's something as recognizable as a letterman jacket."

"So you think we're dating because I borrowed his jacket? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"Shh, we don't need the entire team hearing you." Kurt sipped his drink. "Do you want to try this? It might warm you up."

Blaine looked at the cup, then back at Kurt. "You want me to taste your coffee?" Kurt nodded and held the cup out, so Blaine wiped it with his sleeve and took a small sip. "It's just coffee, nothing special..." He paused. "You're jealous, aren't you?"

"Jealous? Of?" Kurt took his cup back, then took a sip.

"Something! That I'm wearing Sam's jacket instead of yours?"

"That is absolutely ridiculous," Kurt said, moving away a bit. 

"If you say so."

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, until Kurt said something. "I'm not jealous, okay? Not that you're wearing his jacket. Maybe I'm jealous of how close you two are."

Blaine turned to Kurt. "Why?"

"I'm jealous of you. Do you know how hard it's been for me to fit in here? For years, I've been bullied just because I'm gay. Before I was even out. Then you come and everyone loves you. You didn't even try. Sam never bullied me, we've always been friends. But it wasn't this easy for me. At all," Kurt explained. "Believe me, I don't want you to go through what I did. I don't want anyone to. It was so bad that..." He paused. "I have to go. See you tomorrow." He left before Blaine could ask any questions.

Blaine wanted to follow, but knew that wasn't a good idea. Kurt obviously didn't want to talk anymore, and following would probably just upset him more. And he didn't want Sam getting upset if he didn't get back before practice ended. So he stayed where he was, hoping everything would be okay.


	8. Spies and Secrets

After he left practice, Kurt called Santana. "Are you home? If you are, would you mind if I came over to practice the duet? Sorry for the short notice," he asked.

"Sure, come on over," Santana replied. "Everything alright? You sound... I don't know, upset? Then again, I'm not great with emotions..."

"I'm fine," Kurt said quickly. "I'll see you soon." He hung up.

Santana was waiting outside when Kurt arrived. "It's probably better if we practice out here. Less of a chance of us getting an audience. My family gets a bit excited when they hear me sing," she explained. She took out her phone and started looking for the lyrics and a backing track.

"Aren't you cold?" Kurt didn't think it was cold, and Santana didn't seem to be. But now he was curious after what happened at practice.

"No, not at all... Are you?" She glanced up at him.

Kurt shook his head. "Why the hell was he wearing the jacket if it's not even cold," he mumbled.

"Did you say something?" Santana asked, looking up from her phone.

Kurt smiled a bit. "I did, and I think you'd be the perfect person to tell. Put the phone down, I have a mission for you." Santana smiled as well and put her phone down. "I came from football practice. I was there to support Finn. And I ran into Blaine," Kurt explained. "Apparently he was waiting for Sam. They're duet partners and they were planning on practicing after, so no big deal. Right?" Santana nodded. "Wrong! Blaine was wearing Sam's jacket. Because he was cold."

Santana gasped. "So you think he lied about being cold just to get the jacket?"

He nodded. "Now, I can't blame Blaine for having a crush. I've been there. But the feeling might be mutual. You know that party Sam is having on Saturday? It's for Blaine. A welcoming party or something. Which nobody at McKinley has ever gotten before."

"There's no way. What about Mercedes? Sam is probably the only loyal guy in glee club, and he's not even gay. Trust me, we'd know if he was."

"I thought he was at first. I'm still suspicious. Everyone thought he was at one point."

"Because we thought you two were hooking up," she said. "But I'll keep an eye on them if you want me to."

"Please do," Kurt said. "Now, duet. Let's get started."

"Hold on," Santana said. "I have to ask, why do you care so much about what's going on between Sam and Blaine?"

"I don't."

"Kurt, you're asking me to help you spy on them. You care. So what is it?"

"Concern for Mercedes. I don't want her finding out the hard way if something is going on. Let's stop wasting time and practice."

She laughed. "You expect me to believe that?" 

"Yes. It's the truth." Santana didn't reply, instead she just glared at Kurt until he spoke again. "Fine! I like Blaine. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Santana smiled. "Yes, it is."

"If you tell anyone, you're dead."

"I'm not scared of you. But don't worry, I won't. Now, duet."


	9. Duets

After the last pair performed their duet, the group was given their next assignment. "Normally, this is where we'd vote. But this wasn't a competition," Mr. Schuester explained. "Instead, I want you and your partner to pick another pair and tell them what you thought about their performance. Be honest. Tell them what was good and what could use some work."

Kurt turned to Santana. "Blaine and Sam?"

She nodded. "Blaine and Sam." She led Kurt over and sat in front of the two. "Hello. How would you two like to work on this very stupid assignment with us?" She smiled. "Don't say no. You don't have a choice."

"Alright... Well, you two were great," Blaine said, smiling. "You both had a lot of energy and emotion. There's really only one issue I can think of, which isn't even your fault. The lack of musical chemistry."

"I agree with him," Sam said. "You're both amazing, but your voices and styles don't really work together, y'know?"

"This interesting, because we actually think you two had a little too much chemistry," Santana said.

Kurt nodded. "You did. I hate to say it, but it seems there were some undeniable feelings there, unless you're just the greatest actors ever."

"You know I'm not gay," Sam whispered.

"Oh, I never said you are. But Blaine here-"

"Enough!" Blaine interrupted. "Maybe there were feelings. But not for Sam. No offense. Maybe there's someone else. Did you ever think of that?"

"Who, your ex that you refuse to talk about?" 

"Do not make me say who..." 

"Why not? Huh, why not?"

"Because it's none of your business!" Blaine yelled. "All you've done since you got here is ask about everything. Did you ever consider there may be some things I'm not comfortable sharing? And I'd love to know why you care so much about who I like."

"Guys, please don't fight," Sam said. "It's a really stupid argument. Just drop it."

Kurt sighed. "Fine. Blaine, can we take this outside? I promise to keep it civil if you do."

Blaine nodded. "Fine. Let's go." The two walked out of the room together. "So, what is it? Why did you ask me to come out here?"

"I'm sorry about all that," Kurt said. "I understand it was totally uncalled for." He paused. "I don't know if you actually want to hear my reasoning for caring about this, but I'll tell you anyway. I care because..." He took a deep breath. "Mercedes."

"Mercedes? What does she have to do with any of this?"

"I...wanted to make sure Sam is being loyal. I trust him, but she's a good friend and I'd hate to see her hurt." The truth was, this had absolutely nothing to do with Mercedes. But it would be stupid of Kurt to tell the truth.

"Of course he's loyal. And you know he's not gay, so why do you care? Is this all because I borrowed his jacket?"

Kurt didn't know what to say. He had to tell the truth. But he didn't know how. He wasn't the best at just saying something like that. He only came out because he was forced to, and he didn't want something like that to happen again. He tried to tell Blaine how he felt, but he couldn't speak. He couldn't find the right words, and even if he managed to, they weren't coming out.

Then he remembered how Dave Karofsky came out to him. With a kiss. Without thinking, Kurt stepped forward and kissed Blaine. Then he backed up quickly. "I-I have to go. I'm sorry." He ran away, ignoring Blaine's calls.


	10. The Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of suicidal thoughts and a past attempt

Blaine tried calling and texting Kurt multiple times that night, but got no answer. When Blaine saw Kurt in the hall the next day, he immediately ran up to him. "We need to talk. It's nothing bad, I promise. I'm not mad or upset at all."

"I'd rather not," Kurt said, turning away.

"This isn't really something we can just ignore," Blaine said, taking a small step closer. Kurt sighed and turned to him. His eyes were red and puffy, and he'd clearly been crying. "Oh... I'm so sorry, what happened? Was this because of me?"

"It's a long story..." Kurt glanced at his watch. "We don't really have time." It wasn't something he wanted to talk about, even though he knew it would make him feel better. 

"Whenever you're ready." Blaine knew not to push him to talk. He hated when everyone did that to him, so why should he do it to someone else?

Kurt thought for a moment. "I'm ready. If you are. But I can't get the whole story in before next period."

"We could skip. Or we could wait, or you can tell as much as we have time for and finish later."

"I say we skip. Come on." Kurt took Blaine's hand and led him outside. Luckily nobody was guarding the door, so they were able to sneak out and hide behind the bleachers. "I've never told anyone this before. And I never planned to. So...I guess you're special."

"You don't have to," Blaine said. "I'm sorry for pushing. It's completely up to you if you talk about it or not."

"I want to. I think." He paused. "I want to. So... I guess you know how I feel about you."

Blaine nodded. "But you don't know how I feel." He took Kurt's hand. "I like you. Really. You're the one I was talking about before, not Sam or my ex. You."

Kurt smiled a bit. "Thank you... I just wish I told you some other way."

"I think what you did was perfect."

"No. No, it wasn't. It..." He paused and took a deep breath. "Have you met Dave Karofsky yet?" Blaine shook his head. "Alright. Well... I was having a really hard time with my sexuality before I was even out. I hated myself for it, I wanted to just be normal. Like everyone else. I couldn't have anyone finding out. I wanted to push it aside and just be straight, but I couldn't do it. Even before I was out, everyone knew. Amd Karofsky made my life a living hell." He paused. "I never accepted myself. And I was so stupid back then... I was always thinking about how I'd rather die than have to deal with the bullying, but I never did anything." He paused again. "Until one day. Not long after I came out. Because after that, everything just got so much worse. It wasn't just Karofsky anymore. It was everyone. My friends, even." He closed his eyes for a moment. He could still hear Finn yelling slurs at him, it still hurt even though he knew Finn never meant any of it. He bit his lip, then opened his eyes. "Nobody found out and I never told anyone. It's been... A while... Since I tried that. And since I thought about anything like that." But not as long as he wanted it to be. "And I'm happy that I'm still here." Usually. "Partially because of you, I have to admit.".

Blaine didn't know what to say. He stayed silent for a bit, then he finally thought of something. "I'm happy you're here too. And you are so strong. I'm proud of you. I thought I had it bad, but the worst thing I ever did was switch schools... I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Thank you. But it's better now." A little bit, at least. He looked at his watch. "I have to go. Thank you for listening." He gave Blaine a quick hug before leaving.


	11. Moving On

Blaine didn't run into Kurt again until after school. "Hey, walk to rehearsal with me?"

Kurt shook his head. "I'm not going today. I'll see you tomorrow though, right? You'll be at the party?" 

"Oh, yeah. Definitely." Blaine smiled a bit. "Before you go, I just need to ask... Are we just friends, or...?"

"Well, considering our heart to heart behind the bleachers and the kiss yesterday, I was hoping we'd be more than that."

"Me too. So, is it official?"

Kurt nodded. "I'd love that."

"Me too." Blaine smiled. "Do you wanna maybe go out to dinner tonight?"

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid I can't... Maybe Sunday, alright?"

Blaine nodded. "Alright. I should get to rehearsal... See you tomorrow." He waved before running to the choir room. He sat next to Sam, smiling wide.

"Someone's happy... And late. What happened?" Sam asked.

"Oh, nothing, just talked to Kurt..." He smiled even bigger. "We made it official. We're dating."

"Oh... That's great," Sam smiled a little. "I'm really happy for you guys."

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked. "Something seems off..."

"I'm okay. Nothing's off." There was something, Sam just didn't know what. He wanted to be happy for Kurt and Blaine, they were two of his closest friends, but he couldn't be for some reason.

After rehearsal, Sam and Mercedes went to the Lima Bean together. They were both quiet on the way there, and Mercedes finally broke the silence after they got their coffee. "Are you okay? You're never this quiet."

"Hey, Blaine asked the same thing!" Sam replied, smiling. 

"Okay... That's not an answer."

He thought for a moment. "I'm confused."

"What is it this time?"

"I'm not sure..." He paused. "I think something's wrong, but I'm not sure what it is. Like when Blaine said he and Kurt are official now. I wanted to be happy for them, but I'm not. And nothing's wrong, everything's actually pretty good right now."

"How did you feel when you find out? Nothing?"

He shrugged. "Kind of... Sad?"

Mercedes sighed. "How do you feel about Kurt?"

"We're friends. He's nice, but he can get to be a bit much sometimes. He's a bit weird too, but in a good way. And if Blaine is with someone, I'm happy it's him."

She nodded. "And Blaine?"

"He's great." Sam smiled a bit. "He's so talented. His voice is amazing, I could listen to him all day. And he can pull off bow ties and vest and plaid and weird hats, nobody else can do that. He's just really cool. I hope we still hang out even though we don't have a reason to anymore. I love spending time with him. I can't wait to see him tomorrow."

"You're jealous of Kurt, aren't you? You like Blaine?"

Sam shook his head. "I like you, Mercedes. I have to reason to be jealous. And I'm not gay."

"Are you sure? I'm not mad, and I won't be no matter what you say. I wanna help you." Sam stayed silent. "So? What do you think?"

"I think I might like Blaine," Sam replied. "I'm sorry. I like you too though. But the way I felt when I saw him... It's like how I felt when I saw you. And even though I still love you, I think we should take a break, at least. I need to figure all this out... I'm more than happy to stay friends though."

Mercedes nodded. " I understand. I'll see you Monday. I don't think I'm going tomorrow." She gave a quick smile before walking away.


	12. Spin The Bottle

Blaine got into the back seat of Sebastian's car. "Kinda weird seeing you again..."

"But nice," Sebastian said. He looked back at Blaine, then started driving. "How have you been?"

Blaine shrugged. "Not bad. I got a new boyfriend though, and I'm sure you did too."

Sebastian shook his head. "Me and Hunt aren't official yet. I'll ask him when I get back. Didn't want to yet, just in case tonight changes things with us."

"It won't. I'm with Kurt now." 

"If you say so..."

Blaine knew Sebastian would make a move, and telling him about Kurt only increased the chances of that. He already regretted inviting Sebastian, but it was too late to tell him not to go.

They arrived at the house after a mostly silent drive. It looked old and worn down, everything was dirty and falling apart, and the yard looked like nobody had touched it in months, with long grass and out of control bushes and shrubs. "Is this the right place?" Sebastian asked. "It looks kind of... Abandoned."

"Maybe it is. People have parties in abandoned houses all the time. But be nice. Don't say anything," Blaine replied, leading them to the door. He knocked, and Sam opened the door after a few moments. 

"Hey Blaine," Sam said smiling a bit. "And nice to meet you... Friend. What's your name?"

"Sebastian Smythe. You know me, don't you? The captain of the Warblers." Sebastian smirked a bit. 

"Okay, I don't like that look on your face," Blaine said. "Let's go, inside." He grabbed Sebastian's hand and led him in. 

"I don't know if you guys drink, but there's plenty of stuff in the kitchen," Sam said.

"Alright then. To the kitchen." Sebastian smiled and led Blaine into the kitchen and got a beer for each of them.

"Thank you. Now, I need to see if I can find Kurt..."

"No," Sebastian said, taking Blaine's hand. "You see Kurt every day. I haven't seen you since you left. Stay with me? Please? And who else would I talk to? I only know you. Everyone else here hates me, especially Kurt."

Blaine sighed. "Alright. Fine."

Sebastian smiled. "Thank you."

The two were alone for quite a while. They caught up a bit more and talked about some of their favorite memories together. Sebastian was still drinking his first beer, he was pacing himself since he'd have to drive. But he had been getting Blaine drinks the whole time, and he was already pretty drunk. They finally left the kitchen when Puck came in to tell them they were starting a game of spin the bottle.

When they came into the living room, everyone was sitting in a circle on the floor, empty bottle in the middle, except for three - Finn, Kurt, and Sam, the only three who were too sober to see anything good about this game. Kurt joined the circle when he saw Blaine and tried to sit next to him, but Sebastian got between them.

Kurt didn't actually want to play, and audibly groaned when it was his turn. He hoped his spin would land on Blaine, but it landed on Brittany. He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Hey, Kurt, remember when we pretended to date?" Brittany asked. "That was fun. We should do that again sometime."

"I remember," Kurt replied. "Okay, moving on. Blaine's turn."

Blaine's spin landed on Sebastian. The two kissed for quite a while and only stopped when Kurt separated them. "That was the best kiss ever," Blaine said, going in for another. Kurt stopped him.

"Glad you enjoyed it, but your boyfriend is right here," Kurt said.

"Let him have some more," Sebastian said, smiling. "He misses this. I get it." He gave Blaine another kiss.

"Oh, so you're the ex?" Kurt asked. "Great..." 

"We're holding up the game. We should stop," Sebastian said. Then he smirked. "Unless we take this outside."

"No, terrible idea, don't do that," Kurt said. "And this isn't just jealousy. He's drunk, he can't consent to any of this. So enough."

"You didn't let Blaine answer. He can speak for himself. So, Blaine, what do you think?"

"Take it outside," Blaine replied.

Sebastian smiled. "Perfect. Let's go then." He picked Blaine up and carried him out to the car. Kurt wanted to follow them, but he knew he wouldn't be able to stop them and he'd just end up seeing something he didn't want to. He sighed and went back to the couch.

"If they come back in, please don't let Blaine leave with Sebastian," he said. "I don't trust him. Something about that smirky meerkat face of his rubs me the wrong way."

"I would let him stay here, but I don't think that's possible," Sam said. "I, uh... I'd have to get him home really early tomorrow, my mom is gonna be home by 6, and there's no way I'm getting him up in time."

"He could stay with us," Finn suggested. "I don't think anyone would care."

Kurt nodded. "Dad might not want him in my bed with me, but we'll figure something out. I just have to convince him. And Sebastian." He sighed. "I don't even want to think about what's going on in that car."

"I have an idea," Finn said, glancing over at the window.

"Me too. Unfortunately." Kurt sighed. "Do you think this is a sign that maybe Blaine isn't the guy for me?"

Sam shrugged. "I mean, it's only your first day together. He's drunk and Sebastian is... Whatever he is. I don't know honestly, but I don't like it."

"Sam, you realize this is cheating, right?" Finn asked. 

"I know. It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for spin the bottle. It's a stupid game."

"Never again," Kurt said.

Sebastian and Blaine came back after only a few minutes. It was very clear that Sebastian was disappointed with whatever happened in the car. Blaine seemed much happier than him and went right to the couch to sit on Kurt's lap, wrapping his arms around him. "Hey, baby."

"If you want something, ask Sebastian. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to do something. Again," Kurt said.

"We didn't do anything," Sebastian said. "Turns out he didn't want to. He wanted you for some reason."

Kurt sighed in relief. "Oh, thank God. Okay. Well, we're not going to be doing anything. But there was a change of plans, whether you two like it or not." 

"Blaine is gonna stay with us tonight," Finn said. "Just because..."

"We don't trust Sebastian with him," Kurt finished.

"That's fine," Sebastian said, smiling. "I'll see him again soon. Right, Blainey?" Sebastian wasn't actually happy with this decision, but he didn't want to start anything. Not this time, at least.

"Yeah, definitely. Soon," Blaine replied. 

"Just to clarify, staying with me means you sleep as soon as we get to the house. In separate beds, because I don't want my dad getting upset," Kurt explained.

"You're so boring."

"Blaine, shush. It's risky enough bringing you over without asking. Now, what time is it?" Kurt checked his watch. "Time to get you home. Okay, let's go. I can't carry you, so up."

"I can help," Finn offered. "I'm not leaving yet, I have to wait for Rachel. But I can at least help you guys get out."

"I'll help," Sebastian said, pulling Blaine up. "I should head out too, I have a long drive ahead of me and there's no reason for me to stay if Blaine won't be here." Blaine let go of Kurt and held onto Sebastian instead. Kurt just sighed, not saying anything.

Blaine talked throughout the entire drive, and Kurt barely responded to anything he said. He was tired, too tired to deal with this. And he was still upset about what happened with Sebastian, but he'd save that conversation for the next morning.

When they got to the house, Kurt decided the easiest thing to do would be letting Blaine lay with him, then having Finn carry him to the couch when he got home, since Blaine was being especially clingy. Kurt laid him on the bed and got next to him, holding him tight. "Please sleep. I'm exhausted and I don't want to fall asleep before you." He also wanted Blaine to be asleep when Finn got home.

"I'm not tired," Blaine replied. "But you know what'll tire me out?"

"No. Not tonight. Just sleep." Kurt put a blanket over both of them and kissed Blaine on the forehead. "Please."

"That party was awesome! And Sebastian-"

"Shush."

"I thought he moved on, he knows I did, but he still had hope I'd go back to him. But I don't wanna go back to him. I want you instead. Can I kiss you?"

Kurt smiled a bit. That did make him feel a little better. "Yes, you can, just not on the lips."

Blaine kissed his cheek. "Love you."

"Thank you. Now, goodnight." Kurt didn't feel he was ready to say he loved Blaine yet. He knew he did, but this didn't seem like the right time. Maybe if Blaine had been sober or nothing had happened with Sebastian, it would be different.

"Fine, goodnight." Blaine moved a bit closer to Kurt and closed his eyes. Kurt fell asleep not long after. When Finn got home, he went to check on them and saw that they were both asleep, holding each other tightly, with Kurt almost on top of Blaine. He decided not to move Blaine, he didn't want to disturb them. So he just closed the door, leaving them how they were.

The next morning, Blaine woke up to Kurt sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall, phone in his hand. "Everything okay?"

Kurt shook his head. "This is your phone. It was ringing all morning. I just ignored it at first, I didn't want to answer a call that was meant for you. But when it rang for the eleventh time and all the calls were from this Hunter guy, I picked up because I knew it had to be something important." He paused and took a deep breath. "Sebastian was in an accident last night. That's all I know. I'm sorry."


	13. Shattered

Blaine took his phone and called Hunter back. "Please tell me he's okay," he said as soon as Hunter picked up.

"He's...alive. He'll be okay. Right now, he's just hurt... He's awake, that's good. Nothing's broken. He kept saying his neck and back hurt, and they probably will for a while, but he can move. Not without hurting though. And, uh... Sectionals is coming up, he's hurt... We're not sure he'll be performing," Hunter explained.

"I am so sorry. If I had just gone with him-"

"Shhh," Hunter interrupted. "This isn't your fault, Blaine. It's the fault of the guy that hit him, that's it."

"Okay... Is he home? In the hospital? At Dalton? Where is he, and can I see him?"

"At home," Hunter replied. "And yes, you can see him. Me and Mr. Puss are with him, we'll be here until tomorrow at least, so feel free to stop by at any time."

"Okay. I'll come by now. It'll take me about an hour and a half to get there. I might bring Kurt or Sam if they're willing to come... Maybe both." He knew that might not be a great idea, but he really wanted all of them to get along. He didn't think anyone would try to fight at a time like this. 

Kurt drove, and they picked Sam up on the way. Sam and Blaine were sitting in the back together. Kurt let Blaine pick the music, and throughout the entire drive Kurt and Sam were singing and dancing along, hoping it would cheer Blaine up a bit.

When they arrived at the house, Kurt and Sam talked to Hunter for a bit, and Blaine went right to Sebastian's room to see him. He was laying on the bed, petting a fluffy white cat that was laying on his chest. He looked fine besides a few cuts and the fact that he was less energetic than usual. Blaine sat on the edge of the bed, next to Sebastian's feet. "Hey... You okay?"

Sebastian nodded. "Hurts though... You can lay next to me if you want."

"No, I'm okay." He did move a little closer though. "I see Mr. Puss is keeping you company." He pet the cat a bit. 

"Yeah, he's a good friend. Better than some people who just come and go when they feel like it," Sebastian said, twirling some of Mr. Puss's fur around his finger. 

Blaine sighed and put his hand on Sebastian's. "I am so sorry about that. I should've stuck to the original plan. Then this wouldn't have happened."

Sebastian just shook his head. He didn't think any of this was Blaine's fault. He did wish they stuck to the original plan, not because it could've prevented the accident but because he really wanted to spend more time with Blaine. Even if they couldn't be together, he at least wanted to be friends.

"I'll see you again as soon as possible. I promise," Blaine said. "And I won't ignore your calls and texts."

"You're not leaving yet, right?" Sebastian asked, looking up at him.

Blaine shook his head. "I'm not leaving until you want me to, or until someone tells me I have to." He pet Mr. Puss again. "How are things with you and Hunter."

"Still not official," Sebastian sighed. "I would've asked today, but I don't want a pity date. How about you and... What's his name again?"

"Kurt. He's amazing." He smiled a bit. "He's here, actually. Talking to Hunter. Sam is too, you met him last night."

Sebastian nodded. He was confused, he didn't want Blaine back, but hearing this made him jealous. Maybe it was because he wished they'd had a better relationship, or maybe he just wished they were closer. Before the accident, he was convinced Blaine wanted nothing to do with him. Even at the party, he wasn't entirely sure they were friends again. But suddenly they were. He hoped it was real, and not just pity that would be gone as soon as he recovered.

When it came time for Blaine to leave, he and Sebastian barely said goodbye. Both of them wanted a hug, but weren't sure how the other would feel about it. For the rest of the day, both of them couldn't stop thinking about the other.

"I have a surprise for you," Kurt said on the drive home. "We thought you might still be upset, and we wanted to cheer you up. We're getting ice cream, my treat." He pulled into the parking lot of Carvel. "I'll run in, you two can stay here. What do you want?" 

Blaine thought for a moment. "Strawberry with hot fudge."

"Got it. Sam?"

He shook his head. "I don't want anything."

"Are you sure?" Kurt asked. "You could always save it."

"No, I'm sure. I ate before I came, it's almost dinner, and if I bring it home my siblings will want some, but I'm not sure my parents would want them to have any. Besides, I don't even really like ice cream," he explained.

"Alright." Kurt went inside. Sam and Blaine were both silent while he was inside. Neither of them said anything when he got back in the car either. "Why so quiet?"

"Thinking about Sebastian," Blaine replied.

"No reason, just... Letting him think about Sebastian," Sam said.

"Okay then... Blaine, do you want your ice cream now, or when we're home?"

"Um... When we're home."

"Okay. And Sam, I know you said you didn't want anything, but I got you something in case you change your mind. It's just vanilla with hot fudge, I don't know what you like. If you don't want it, that's fine." 

"Oh. Okay. Thanks," Sam said, smiling a bit. He looked down, then out the window.

Blaine looked over at him. "You okay?"

He nodded. "I'm fine. You?"

"Also fine."

"Okay. Guess I'll get us home now," Kurt said. He waited a moment, then started driving. Nobody spoke for the rest of the ride.


	14. Ice Cream

Kurt drove everyone back to Blaine's house. "There's three options. Blaine picks what we do. One, we just drop you off and leave. Two, we stay for ice cream and leave when we're done. Three, we stay longer. However long you want, or as long as we can."

"Please stay for as long as possible," Blaine said.

"Okay. I don't think I have anything to do tonight," Kurt said. He turned to Sam. "What about you? You have to be home for dinner or anything?"

"No, I can stay. It's fine," Sam replied.

"Alright. Then I guess we both stay as long as Blaine wants." Kurt smiled, then took out the ice cream while Blaine got spoons. Kurt and Blaine talked as they ate, and although Kurt was trying to distract Blaine from Sebastian, the conversation always went back to him somehow. Even though Kurt was a bit jealous every time Sebastian came up, he let Blaine talk. If it was helping, he didn't want to stop him.

Sam didn't participate in the conversation except for the few times Kurt made an effort to include him. Most of the time, he was just staring at the ice cream or stirring it a bit, occasionally eating a small spoonful. He was the last to finish, and his ice cream had melted long before then. He was happy that Kurt and Blaine were focused on their conversation and not really paying attention to him. When he finished, he got up to throw away the container, then left the room for a few minutes without a word.

When Sam came back, he put his head down on the table, still not saying anything. Kurt looked over at him. "Are you okay?"

Sam looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired. The party ended really late and then I had to clean everything up. I barely slept last night. And on top of that, I...don't feel great. But it's fine, I'm fine."

"We could go to the living room," Blaine suggested. "It's more comfortable in there, and you could nap on the couch if you want. We'll be quiet. Or you could go up to my room."

"The living room is fine," Sam replied. 

"Okay. Let's go then." Blaine went into the living room and sat on the couch. Kurt sat beside him, and Blaine immediately moved onto his lap. Sam sat beside them, linking his arm with Blaine's and leaning against him.

Kurt and Blaine continued their conversation, now trying to talk quietly. Sam eventually fell asleep, still leaning on Blaine. Kurt wanted to ask Blaine if he'd noticed anything off with Sam, but decided it wasn't a good time. Maybe he'd ask when Sebastian was better and Sam wasn't right next to them, if things didn't get better and he remembered to bring it up.


	15. Heart To Heart

The next morning, Blaine woke up on the couch, with Kurt and Sam asleep on either side of him. He smiled at them, trying his best to stay still so he wouldn't wake them up.

When Sam woke up, he moved to the other side of the couch without a word. Kurt immediately took his phone out to check the time. "I have to get home. I didn't expect to stay over last night... I'm really sorry I can't stay. I'll see you soon." He gave Blaine a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Blaine watched him go, then turned to Sam. "What about you? You're more than welcome to stay." 

"I don't have any reason not to stay," Sam replied.

"Then please do. I need to talk to you about something."

When Kurt got home, Finn was waiting for him in the living room. "Where were you? Why didn't you come home last night?"

"I was at Blaine's house. Sam was there too. I meant to come home, but accidentally fell asleep. I'm sorry," Kurt explained.

"Don't worry about it, as long as you're okay. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Kurt smiled a bit. "Why?"

Finn shrugged. "Looks like something's wrong."

"I... guess there is something. But it's stupid." Kurt sighed and sat next to Finn. "Two things, actually. One, I'm...jealous, I guess. I don't know if I told you, but Blaine and I have been dating for a few days now. And I don't think he's over his ex. Sebastian Smythe, the Warbler. The thing is, Sebastian is hurt. He was in an accident the night of the party. So I don't know if that's why Blaine is always talking about him... But you saw how they were at the party."

"Hm... I think that's something you have to talk to Blaine about," Finn replied. "What does he say about him?"

"It depends. It's just that every conversation goes back to Sebastian. A story about him, usually." 

"Well, they would've spent a lot of time together, right? It's not really that he's always thinking about him. But still, talk to him about it. What's the other thing?"

"The other thing is...slightly less stupid," Kurt said. "Sam seemed upset, but wouldn't tell me what was wrong. He wasn't talking much, and you know that's unusual for him. He seemed sad about something. He said he didn't want ice cream but I got him some anyway because I thought he would've changed his mind, but he clearly didn't want it. He did eat it, but it very slowly. I don't know, maybe it's nothing."

"He could've been sick," Finn said, shrugging.

"He did say he wasn't feeling good..." He paused. "I'm worried. I'm worried that...maybe he likes Blaine, I don't know. God, I feel stupid..."

"Why do you think that? That... That's not possible! Sam isn't gay, he would've told me by now. And he doesn't act like it or anything."

"Not every gay person is stereotypical, Finn. And maybe he's bi or something, I don't know. But I thought Blaine liked him at first, so... I don't want Blaine to leave, that's all."

"Well... Maybe this is a sign that your relationship isn't working out!"

"No!" Kurt sighed. "I'm sorry for raising my voice. You may be right. I'll talk to them tomorrow. I'm going up to my room. Please just...leave me alone for a bit, alright?"

Finn nodded. "Good luck."

"Thanks. I'll need it." Kurt went to his room, and shortly after Finn went to his as well.

"So... What do you need to talk about?" Sam asked, turning to Blaine. He had an idea of what it might be, and he knew this would come eventually. He just hoped it wouldn't be this soon. He wasn't ready yet, he didn't even know how he'd say it, and he'd rather keep it a secret for a bit longer.

"Sebastian," Blaine replied.

Sam sighed in relief. "Okay... What about him?"

"I know I don't want him back. But...what if I'm not over him? I mean, did you hear me yesterday? I wouldn't shut up about him! I feel terrible for saying all of that to Kurt, I know he doesn't like Sebastian. And talking about the ex I just broke up with to my new boyfriend? I wouldn't be surprised if Kurt broke up with me over this..."

"Think about what you just said. The ex you just broke up with. Of course he'll be on your mind. And there was the accident. So don't worry about it! But maybe try not to talk about him so much. Honestly I didn't even notice you talking about him that much," Sam said.

"Alright... I'm sorry about yesterday, by the way."

"Why?"

Blaine shrugged. "You seemed upset about something. You're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I wasn't feeling good, remember? But I'm much better now."

"Okay. Good. Are you staying longer, or do you need to leave? If you're staying, I can make breakfast. I've been told my chocolate chip pancakes are amazing." 

"Um... I'd love to, but..." He took out his phone and looked at the time. "I should go. Maybe next time. I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks."

"Oh, okay. Bye then." Blaine smiled a bit.

"Bye." Sam smiled back, then left.


	16. The Truth

Blaine got to school early the next morning and waited by Kurt's locker. He couldn't wait until lunch or after school, he had to apologize immediately. When Kurt noticed Blaine he smiled a bit and sped up. "Waiting for me?"

Blaine nodded. "I wanted to apologize for talking about Sebastian so much. I promise I don't want him back. I'm just having trouble keeping my mind off him, but I'm trying." 

"I actually wanted to talk to you about that," Kurt said. "I'll admit, I was jealous. But Finn helped, surprisingly. I understand why you talk so much about him, and although it's not my favorite conversation topic, I'll allow it. For now."

"Thank you." Blaine smiled and gave him a quick hug. 

"There's actually one other thing I wanted to talk to you about, somewhat related," Kurt said. "I've asked this before, but I'm asking it again. And it's not because of anything you did, at least not this time. I am the only person you want, right? I know you don't want Sebastian anymore, but... Sam?"

"He's just a friend," Blaine said quickly. "Just a friend. Nothing to worry about."

Kurt frowned a bit. "Okay... If you say so, I won't question it. But this time, I had a feeling he might like you because of how he was acting at your house, but now that I think about it, he was probably just sick. That is what he said, after all." He still wasn't sure, but he'd give it some time before doing anything about it.

Blaine nodded. "I'm not sure he was though. I definitely don't think he likes me, but... I don't know. It's not something he wants to talk about, so let's not worry."

"Yeah. If it's something serious, he'll tell us." Kurt still planned on bringing it up when he talked to Sam later. "Well, I should probably get to class. I'll see you later though." Kurt smiled, then left.

After school, Kurt went to watch the football team practice, partially for Finn, but also so he could talk to Sam after. He noticed that Sam seemed less energetic than usual. He seemed to be trying harder, but struggling more and he fell behind sometimes. Maybe he was just sick and Kurt was overthinking it. But he decided to go through with the conversation anyway.

He waited outside the gym door after practice. Finn was the first one out. "Hey, Kurt! Ready to go?"

Kurt shook his head. "Waiting for Sam, remember?"

"Ah, okay... See you at home?"

"See you at home."

Finn waved, then left. Kurt continued to wait. He thought about what he'd say, and what he'd do if he was right. He wondered if this was something he should even bring up, but if it was about Blaine then it concerned him as well, and if it wasn't he was still looking out for his friend in a way. 

Sam was the last one out. He stopped when he saw Kurt. "I'm guessing you wanted to talk to me, and I know what it's about. This really isn't something I want to talk about."

"It's Blaine, isn't it?" Kurt asked. 

"What?" 

"You like him?" 

Sam was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. I do. But I'm totally cool with you guys dating. I don't really wanna be with him anyway."

Kurt sighed. "It's okay. I know you're upset, so-"

"Upset?" Sam interrupted. "I'm not upset. Why do you think that?"

"At Blaine's house. You weren't talking, you weren't eating. Even during practice, you just had no energy. I know you said you were sick, but I know there's more to it."

"I am sick, Kurt. Just... Not in the way you think." He started walking away.

"Lovesick?" Kurt asked, turning around.

Sam stopped. "No! That's not what this is about at all.."

"Then what is it? Because I know you're hiding something."

"Maybe I am hiding something. Maybe I've been hiding it for years because I was scared of what everyone would say if they knew. And maybe I wanna keep hiding it."

"I know it's hard, but you'll feel better once it's out. And you know that no matter what you tell me, I won't think of you differently. I won't hate you, or judge you, or anything like that. You're my best friend and you always will be, okay?"

"Okay..." Sam sighed. "It isn't about love. It's about...insecurity. Control. Stuff like that." He turned to face Kurt. "At Blaine's house, when I said I didn't want ice cream and gave all those reasons why, they weren't true. When I was eating real slow, it wasn't because I wasn't hungry or I didn't feel good, it's because I just...couldn't. I..." He paused. "I have an eating disorder, Kurt. And I have for a while. But I've never told anyone. Until right now. That's why I had no energy out there. It has nothing to do with Blaine."

Kurt didn't know what to say. "Oh my god, I...I'm so sorry, how did I not think of that? I'm sorry for pushing you to talk about it, really. I had no idea..."

"No, it's okay. I'm not mad at you or anything, and I didn't have to tell you. But, um... I think I should go. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Kurt watched him go, then left after a few minutes. He decided not to go straight home. He walked around for a bit. He felt horrible for making Sam talk about something he clearly wasn't comfortable with, selfish for thinking this had anything to do with him, stupid and oblivious for not noticing sooner. He wished he had been right and this really was just about Blaine. Even though that seemed like the worst possible explanation before, it was far better than the truth.


	17. Control

Kurt went right to his room when he got home. He passed by Finn, who was waiting on the couch, without a word. Finn let him be alone for a bit before knocking on the door. "Hey, it's me... Mind if I come in?"

"Sure. Come in." Kurt was laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm guessing it didn't go good?" Finn asked, sitting beside Kurt.

"Well, I told Blaine he's allowed to talk about Sebastian for now. Apparently he's not over him but has no intention of going back. And Sam... I was wrong. It had nothing to do with Blaine." There really wasn't a good way to explain what happened with Sam, so he hoped Finn didn't say anything else.

"That's good then! Why so bummed?" Finn playfully nudged Kurt.

"Worried. About what'll happen with Blaine and Sebastian. I just don't want to lose him."

"You're not gonna. And if you do, remember you have me as your big bro. I'll beat him up for you." Finn smiled and punched the air. 

Kurt laughed. "Thank you, Finn. I appreciate it."

"Course. It's my job." He ruffled Kurt's hair. "See ya later." He smiled, then went to his own room.

"Hey, Finn! Not the hair, we talked about this!" Kurt laughed and fixed his hair.

Blaine hadn't been able to visit Sebastian, and none of his calls or texts were answered, so he decided to try calling Hunter. The phone rang for a while before Hunter finally answered. "Calling for Sebastian?"

"Yeah, sorry for not visiting. I'll be back this weekend, hopefully. I tried calling and texting, but he hasn't answered," Blaine replied.

"Seb missed you. I did too, I have to admit. And as for the calls and texts... He's not ignoring you. I took his phone. Concussion, remember? The phone isn't good for him. He gets it back at the end of the week," Hunter explained. "I'm putting you on speaker. Just me and Sebastian here." There was a meow. "And Mr. Puss."

"Who's there? Blaine?" Sebastian asked. There was a pause while Hunter nodded. "Hey there. Missed ya. You're gonna come soon?"

"Yeah. I'll try," Blaine replied. "How do you feel?"

"Better, now that I got my Hunt." There was another pause, this time while Sebastian gave Hunter a quick kiss. "It's official, and not pity because he asked me."

"That's great! I'm really happy for you guys." Blaine was more relieved than happy. Sebastian had moved on, he wouldn't be trying to get Blaine back, and Blaine wasn't jealous at all. He truly had moved on, and hoped this meant Sebastian wouldn't be on his mind anymore.

"Hunt swore he was straight right up until he asked me to be his boyfriend," Sebastian said, laughing a little. 

"I thought I was!" Hunter said. "I was not in denial. That's what Seb keeps saying."

"No, I keep saying I'm the only reason you're not straight!"

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Whatever..."

"It's because I'm so cute."

"God, shut up already!" Hunter laughed. "Oh, Blaine, I forgot about you... How are your boyfriends?"

"My...boyfriends?" Blaine asked. "You mean my boyfriend and best friend... They're good. I... Why does everyone think me and Sam like each other?"

"Oh, I don't know. I just said that to annoy you," Hunter admitted.

Blaine sighed. "Of course you did." He paused. "I think I should leave you two alone. I'll try to visit on Saturday, okay?" 

"Okay. Thank you for realizing you're a third wheel."

"Bye, babe," Sebastian said. Blaine rolled his eyes and hung up. 

Blaine knew he wanted to be with Kurt, there was never any doubt about that. He also knew he didn't want to be with Sebastian, he gave that a chance and it failed. The feelings were still there, but they were easy enough to ignore. He wasn't sure how he felt about Sam, though. If he actually liked him, if it was a stupid crush that would be gone in a few days, or if there weren't actually any feelings, he only thought there might be because of what everyone else was saying. But even if there were feelings, he'd have to ignore them. He already decided he wanted to be with Kurt.

After leaving the school, Sam texted Mercedes, asking her to meet him at the Lima Bean. He waited a few minutes after getting there before she came. "Hey, Sam. Need to talk about something?"

"Yeah... So remember what I said last time, that I like Blaine? Well, I told Kurt... Probably a stupid idea, but he asked. I also told him that I don't want to be with Blaine. And that's not true. I'm obviously not gonna ask him out or anything, but if he asked me... I wouldn't say no. I'm still really confused though."

"You said it yourself, Kurt is your best friend. So you're gonna have to keep your feelings to yourself." 

Sam nodded. "Which I should've done in the first place. I really hope I didn't mess anything up by telling Kurt how I feel, I know he was already jealous..."

"I'm sure you didn't. And if I'm being honest, I'm not sure they're meant for each other. But we'll see what happens."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"And I'll always be here if you need anything, or if this doesn't work out," Mercedes said, smiling.

"Good to know." Even though he had no intention of going back to her. 

Sam was losing control again. He didn't want to like Blaine, but he couldn't do anything about it. He wanted to be with him, but had to convince himself he didn't because it was impossible. No matter what he did, this entire situation was out of his control. He was scared, he didn't know what was coming, but he knew it couldn't be good.


	18. Sebastian

On Saturday, Blaine visited Sebastian, like he said he would. He came alone this time, and Hunter had left to give them space. He went into the bedroom and laid next to Sebastian, with a small space between them. "I didn't tell anyone I was coming."

Sebastian smiled. "Our little secret then."

"Yeah... So, are you performing at sectionals?"

Sebastian shook his head. "I'd love to, but they don't think it's a good idea. Sectionals is next week, and I'm not fully recovered yet. So Hunter gets a solo, I think Nick is getting one, David and Wes are doing a duet, and there's a group number."

"For us, Rachel is doing a solo, as usual. And she's doing a duet with Finn. I'm doing a duet with Sam, I'm sure Kurt isn't happy about that. And then we have the group number."

"Well, with you singing, I have no doubt in my mind that you'll win." Sebastian smiled. "You have the voice of an angel."

"Thank you. You're good too, it sucks you won't perform."

"I'll be there to support you, babe. And Hunter." He paused. "So, how're things with Kurt?"

"Honestly, I don't even know anymore. He's jealous. Of you and Sam. I can't blame him, but I really don't want to lose him. Good thing is I haven't mentioned you in a few days. And, no offense, I know I don't want you back. But Sam..." He paused. "I want to be with both of them, Sebastian."

"You can't have both," Sebastian said. "You get one, so stay with Kurt as long as you can, keep Sam as a rebound."

"I guess that's the best thing to do..." 

"You need to get your mind off this." Sebastian rested his head on Blaine's chest. "Sing to me."

"Huh?" He looked down at Sebastian. 

"You heard me. I want you to sing to me. How about... Uptown Girl. We met after I sang that with Nick, remember?"

Blaine smiled. "I remember. And you mean after Nick sang it and you got a line."

"Whatever... Just sing." Blaine started singing, and Sebastian eventually joined in. "Oh babe, we sound great together. We'll have to do that again sometime." He winked.

"Why do you do this to me?" Blaine asked.

"Do what?"

"Get all flirty. It used to be cute. Now it's weird. And what about Hunter? Shouldn't you be saving this for him?"

"Most definitely," Sebastian said, smirking. "And I do it to bother you. Don't let it get to you."

"You know I have enough relationship drama as is..."

Sebastian sighed. "God, Blaine... I gave you my advice. You don't like it, too bad." He paused. "Y'know what'll get your mind off this? Scandals."

"No. First of all, you're still hurt. Second, maybe all this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gotten drunk at that party, I'm not drinking again. And third, I think going to a gay bar is the worst option in this situation."

"Boring. Good thing you're cute."

Blaine blushed and turned away. "Shut up. Just... Take a nap or something. I'll stay until Hunter gets back."

"Boring..." But Sebastian eventually closed his eyes and fell asleep, still using Blaine as a pillow. 

Blaine thought about what he said: I want to be with both of them. It was true, but it was also not possible. He wanted to figure out how to make that work, but he knew he wouldn't be able to. He was happy with Kurt, the happiest he'd been in a while, and didn't want to risk losing that.


	19. Rehearsal

The week of a competition was always hard. Rehearsal ran late every day and they were much less laid back. They had two rehearsals left before sectionals.

"Run the group number again!" Mr. Schuester said. Everyone groaned, they were all tired. "You get a break after this, as long as you try as hard as you can." He knew he could be a bit hard on the kids sometimes, but it was for the best. "Mercedes, you're too far to the right. Other arm, Quinn. Someone's flat, I think it's Tina. Sam, more energy."

When they finished the number, everyone got a five minute break. After five minutes, Mr. Schuester would work with the soloists, leaving the rest of the group until they were needed again. 

"Hey, Blaine, you did great," Kurt said.

Blaine smiled. "Thank you. Even though I didn't do much."

"Well, your one line sounded beautiful, and your dancing was amazing. You're one of our strongest performers, you know."

"My voice is nothing compared to yours. You have the voice of an angel, probably because you are one."

"Oh, hush."

"It's just the truth." Blaine smiled and kissed Kurt's cheek.

"Thank you, dear. Um... Give me one second, okay?" He went over to Sam. "You okay?"

"Yes. A little tired, but everyone here is," Sam replied. 

"You look more than a little tired. I'm worried about you. I have been since..." He paused. "You look sick. Pale. Like you're about to pass out. I know you... You need to make sure you're taking care of yourself. At least try. Please."

"It doesn't matter."

"I think it does. It's important that you-"

"It doesn't matter," Sam interrupted. "Nothing does. Why does it matter what I do today, because who knows where I'll be tomorrow? Who knows if there will even be a tomorrow? Maybe there will be for you, but not someone else. Maybe not everyone wants one. Or maybe there'll be one somewhere else."

Kurt thought about that for a moment. "Is there something going on?"

"A lot. Too much." He paused. "My dad is trying to find a new job. Probably out of state. And I don't want to move again. I don't want to be stuck in that motel room anymore either. But I can't control it. I can't control anything. My life doesn't even feel like mine anymore. It's everyone else's. So why bother? I don't want to live a story written by everyone else."

Kurt hugged him. "I know. I know what that's like. But we'll figure something out. Something where everyone is happy and nobody gets hurt. Okay?"

"Mhm... I wanna talk to Blaine for a minute. Alone. If it's okay." 

"Sure." Kurt let go and smiled. Sam went up to Blaine and waved.

Blaine looked up at Sam. "Oh, hey! What's up?"

"Nothing really, I just... I probably shouldn't say this, but I feel weird hiding it. And I know nothing will come out of this and honestly I don't even want it to, but I... I like you. And not just... As a friend. More than that. And again, I don't want anything out of this, I know you're with Kurt and I don't want to get between that. But I thought maybe if I told you I'd be less confused... I'm not. Even more confused..." He looked down and pulled at his sleeve, then looked back up at Blaine. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It's okay. I'm actually glad you told me. Thank you for being honest and trusting me enough to tell me that. And if you don't want anything to change, nothing will. I promise." Blaine was a bit relieved knowing that Sam didn't want to be with him, but more sad that they liked each other but couldn't be together. He still didn't consider leaving Kurt for a second, he knew he didn't want one more than the other. He only wished there was an easier answer. 

Neither of them spoke after that. When they practiced their duet, they both ignored the other as much as possible. After they finished, Blaine went to sit with Kurt and Sam left.

Blaine looked over at Kurt. "You okay? You seem upset."

"Oh, I'm fine," Kurt said, smiling a bit. He was still worried, now even more than before. He didn't see Sam leave, otherwise he would have followed. He knew what it felt like, and one of the most helpful things was finally having someone to help.

"Everyone, we're running the group number one last time. Then you're free to go," Mr. Schuester announced. Everyone got in their places for the top of the number. "Does anyone know where Sam is?"

"Oh, God... I'll look for him," Kurt said, running out. Blaine followed.

"Kurt, what's going on? Is everything okay?"

Kurt shook his head. "We were just talking, and he was saying..." He paused. "I'm just worried. That maybe he..." Another pause. "I have to go. Now. You can come if you want I guess, but... I don't know if it's the best idea."

Blaine decided to go as well. Now he was worried too, even though he didn't know what was going on. Kurt drove to the motel Sam was staying at as fast as he could, hoping he was fast enough.


	20. Come What May

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Talk of suicide

"Is it really necessary to speed?" Blaine asked.

"Yes. I know it's a stupid idea, but it is very necessary," Kurt replied.

"Okay..." They pulled into the parking lot. "Why are we at a motel?"

"Because." Kurt got out of the car and ran to the door of Sam's room. He tried opening it, but it was locked. He knocked. 

"What's going on?" Blaine asked. 

"I don't know, Blaine," Kurt replied. He sighed and knocked again. "Sam has been living here, so that's why we're here. To make sure he's okay. Or at least...alive. Open the door!" Finally, Sam's little sister opened the door. "Hi, sweetie. Is Sam here?"

"Yes. Are you his friends?" 

Kurt sighed in relief. "Okay, good... Yeah. Can you ask him to come out? We need to talk. Alone." 

"Okay!" She smiled, then closed the door. 

"Should I go to the car?" Blaine asked. "You said alone, so-"

"It doesn't matter." Kurt closed his eyes tight and bit his lip as soon as he said those words. He thought of everything Sam had said at rehearsal and what could have happened if they didn't come. "Is it just me, or have we been waiting for a long time?"

"Just you," Blaine replied.

Sam finally came out and closed the door behind him, then leaned against it. He was looking down at the ground and didn't say a word to Kurt and Blaine. 

"Hey... Are you okay?" Kurt asked. Sam didn't reply. "Why did you leave?" 

"To watch my siblings," Sam replied. 

"Is that the only reason?" No reply. "You didn't do anything, right?"

"No. I wouldn't with them here."

"And if they weren't?"

Sam was quiet for a moment, but did respond. "I didn't know they were here. They were going somewhere with my parents and got back early. He's here too. And if they weren't here, I would've..." He glanced at Blaine, then turned to Kurt. "You know."

"Then I'm so grateful they're here," Kurt said.

Sam smiled a bit. "You are?"

"Of course I am." He turned to Blaine. "Can you wait in the car?"

"I'll explain another time," Sam said.

"Sure." Blaine took the keys from Kurt and went to the car.

"Is there any way at all I can help?" Kurt asked. "I'm willing to do anything you need. Anything. I've been there, believe it or not. I know it's not reassuring to hear this, but it does get better. Sometimes you need to find that one reason to stay. For me, it was glee club. I don't know what it is for you, but I promise we'll find it."

"I told you, it's about control," Sam said. "You can't give me any more control over anything, can you? No. You can't. I hate that I'm living someone else's life. A story already written, where the only thing I can change is the ending."

"That's not true. Maybe it feels that way, but it isn't. There's a lot you can do. And even if you can't yet, you're almost an adult. Then your life really will be your own. You don't want to move out of state? Don't. Last time your parents did, do you remember what happened? You came and stayed with me and Finn until they came back. Which we'd happily let you do again."

"Thanks for trying, but that isn't very helpful. Having to stay with someone all the time, even having to live in a motel, it's not something I'm proud of." He paused. "Can I tell you what happened?"

"Of course."

"They were fighting about money. About me. How I don't do enough for this family, but I gave all I could. I'm doing everything I can and they don't even seem to notice it. It's not a lot, but it's the best I can do," Sam said, tearing up. 

"If they don't care, forget them. Leave. Stay with me."

"I can't leave. I know I'm not doing much, but I am helping."

"If you don't mind me asking, why is it that you won't move out because they need your help, even though you could still help them if you aren't living with them, but you don't seem to feel the same way about dying?" Sam couldn't answer that. "There are a lot of other options. You just need to give them each a try until you find what's best for you. And I promise you will."

"I would like to stay with you," Sam said. "But I'm not sure if now is a good time, because... I don't want to make you deal with all my problems. You're already doing too much."

"I don't mind it, but if you insist, come when you're ready." Kurt paused. "Do you trust that you'll be safe here? That you won't do anything?"

Sam shrugged. Did he want to do anything? No, not exactly. But that didn't mean nothing would happen,

"I can't force you, obviously, but would you be okay with going to the hospital for a while? If cost is an issue, we'll all help out the best we can."

"I... I think that would be a good idea. Just... Give me a minute to talk to my parents." Sam went back inside. Kurt stayed where he was. He looked over at the car, which was parked nearby. He could see Blaine through the windshield. He wasn't watching them, he was too busy talking to someone on the phone. It seemed like he was arguing with someone, but he didn't appear to be upset at all. Kurt thought it was probably Sebastian. Sam came back out after a few minutes. "They're cool with it. They said it's for the best or whatever."

"Good. I'll take you right now then. Do you want me to take Blaine home first?"

"No. Unless he has to get home now. Because we have to tell him somehow, right? This might be the easiest way."

Kurt nodded, then led them to the car. He got in the drivers seat and Sam got in the back, since Blaine was in the front. He wasn't on the phone anymore. "Hey guys," he said. Everything okay?"

They were both quiet for a moment. Kurt was waiting for Sam to say something, and he was trying to figure out the best and easiest way to talk about it. "It's...okay as it can be, I guess," he said. "We're going to the hospital, actually, because... Well, I didn't do anything, but... I need help. Because I'm willing to not eat for a few days or even die just to have some control over my life. And that's not a good thing."

"But it is good that you're looking for help," Blaine said.

Kurt nodded. "That's very brave. I'm very proud of you. And I'm sure Blaine is too."

"I am."

Sam smiled. "Thanks, guys. I'm so happy to have you. I don't know where I'd be without you, but I know it wouldn't be good."

"We're always here for you," Blaine said.

"Exactly," Kurt said. "If you need anything, anything at all, just call one of us. We'd be more than happy to help."

They were quiet for the rest of the drive. Kurt and Blaine were both worried, but they were hiding it as best as they could. Kurt was already thinking about what he'd do when Sam got out and what the best way to help would be. He was also thinking about his own experience. He had gone through something similar and tried to remember how he felt then and what helped him feel better. Blaine was still trying to figure out his feelings and whether or not it was truly possible to love two people at once. 

After they dropped Sam off, they stayed in the parking lot of the hospital for a bit. "Um... Why are we just sitting here?" Blaine asked.

"Go to him. When he gets out," Kurt said. 

"What?"

"You want to be with him, don't you? I'm not mad about it. I... I get it. I liked him for a while too. But if you want him and he wants you... Maybe he needs you more than I do."

"No... No, I'm not leaving you. Yes, I like him. But it's just a crush that'll be gone before you know it. But you... I love you. I want you, Kurt. Nobody else."

"Okay. I'm only reminding you that this is your choice." Kurt kissed Blaine's cheek, then started driving.


	21. Sectionals

The day of sectionals was finally here. The first group was performing. The Warblers would be second, then the New Directions. Kurt and Blaine sat right beside each other, closer than usual, holding each other's hands tightly. Blaine seemed almost on the verge of tears, so Kurt occasionally squeezed his hand or rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb, hoping it would make him feel at least a little better.

They were told Sam would be out for at least a week, and only two days had gone by. Sam's part of the duet went to Kurt instead. Luckily Blaine had been practicing with him already, so Kurt knew his parts well.

They practiced over and over, everyone was determined to win. They wanted it bad enough to begin with, but now they felt like they had to win for Sam. If he wouldn't be performing at sectionals, they had to make it to regionals. 

The Warblers had the same motivation, though. They decided not to have Sebastian perform. Although having him with them would help, they decided the risk was too high. 

Nobody was worried about the first group. They weren't bad, but they weren't good enough to win. As soon as The Warblers started their first song, everyone knew they were doomed. Not only were their vocals amazing, they had energy the New Directions knew they wouldn't be able to match. 

Watching The Warblers perform made Blaine a bit sad. He did miss them, and this would be his first time performing without them. He wished Sebastian was performing, he would have loved to see that, and who knows if he would ever get that chance? He looked around the audience a bit to see if he saw Sebastian anywhere. He had to be here somewhere. 

"Blaine," Kurt whispered, tapping Blaine's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. Just...looking for someone."

"Oh." Kurt knew that someone had to be Sebastian. "Well, we have to get backstage now. We're almost on."

The rest of the group waited in the wings while Rachel sang her solo, then her duet with Finn. She was doing amazing, but nobody was confident they would win. The first two songs seemed to be over in no time. Kurt took Blaine's hand and led him onstage for their duet. Blaine was distracted throughout most of the song. He kept looking around the audience for Sebastian, who he eventually spotted. He smiled a bit when he saw him. After watching Sebastian for a bit, Blaine turned his attention back to Kurt. As much as he loved singing with him, it felt wrong. He was supposed to be singing with Sam. His smile faded. He started tearing up a bit, not enough for anyone in the audience to notice. Kurt noticed his expression change and took his hand. He put his other hand on Blaine's cheek and dried his tears the best he could without it being obvious. Blaine put his hand on Kurt's. Having Kurt touch him did make him feel better.

After the duet, everyone came out for the group number. Kurt stayed close to Blaine throughout the song, just in case he needed anything. 

When the group number ended, every group was brought onstage while the judges discussed the performances. Everyone tried convincing each other as well as themselves that they would win, although nobody truly believed that. 

"And the winner of this year's sectionals is... The Dalton Academy Warblers!"

Everyone tried staying positive, pointing out all the good parts of their performance. They were all upset, of course. Not only did they lose, but their season ended before it really began. Blaine was secretly happy for The Warblers though. In a way, he almost felt like he had won as well. And he was happy that Sebastian would be able to perform at regionals and couldn't wait to watch him. He did feel bad for Sam though, and he wasn't sure how they would tell him they lost. 

"Hey, Blaine?" Mr. Schuester said. "There's someone waiting for you in the lobby. He said there's no rush, but go out there when you get a chance. Alone."

"Oh. Who is it?" Blaine asked. 

Mr. Schuester shrugged. "I didn't get a name. But he told me you'll know him when you see him."

"Okay... Thanks, Mr. Schue." Blaine made his way to the lobby and looked around for whoever this may be.


	22. Brother

Blaine entered the lobby and looked around. He didn't know who could possibly be waiting for him, so he just looked for anyone familiar until he finally saw his brother leaning against a wall, hands behind his back. He ran over to him. "Cooper, what are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing, squirt?" Cooper smiled and ruffled Blaine's hair with one hand, keeping the other behind his back. "You gotta stop with the gel, makes it hard to mess your hair up. Hey, I got you something." He handed Blaine a bouquet of flowers. "I expected you guys to win..."

Blaine sighed. "I'm sorry for disappointing you. Again."

"No, I'm not disappointed! You guys killed it out there, especially you. You were amazing. You know, when they were announcing their celebrity judges, I was thinking I should've been one, then I could get my little brother to win. But then I thought, he doesn't need me! He'll win! Well, I guess not... But you should've."

"Thanks, Coop. I think..." Blaine paused and twirled the bouquet in his hand. "So, why are you here?"

Cooper shrugged. "I was in the area. Why not stop by? And I thought you needed someone to come and support you. Mom and Dad aren't here."

"I wasn't expecting Dad to come. He never does. But why isn't Mom?"

"I'm not sure. But it doesn't matter, because you have me. You know how lucky you are, having the Cooper Anderson come out and support you?"

Blaine rolled his eyes. "And once again, we're talking about how great you are."

"Aw, c'mon, Blainey. I'm just teasing," Cooper said, resting his arm on Blaine's head. "Hey, I'm gonna be around for a few days. Exciting, right?"

"Yeah, very," Blaine said sarcastically. 

"Hey, I know I'm not the best brother in the world, but lighten up. I came out here for you. That's the only reason. Okay?"

Blaine just nodded. Although the two never really got along, he didn't think Cooper was a bad brother. Every reason Blaine had for not liking Cooper wasn't his fault. Their parents always favored Cooper, the whole world seemed to favor him,

"Is everything okay?" Cooper asked. "You seem bummed. Is it because you lost?"

Blaine looked around. "I can't talk here."

"Okay. How about this..." Cooper looked at his watch. "I know it's late, but we can go to the diner and talk there. Remember when I was in competitions and shows, and we'd always go to the diner after?"

"Yeah. Sounds good." The idea actually made Blaine a bit sad. Cooper's performances had always been such a big deal. 

On the way to the diner, Cooper was trying to catch up with Blaine, but Blaine wasn't interested. They were both quiet for a bit after they arrived. The silence was broken for a bit when Blaine questioned why Cooper was drinking coffee at 10:30 at night, and again when Cooper made fun of Blaine for ordering cupcake pancakes, something he said only kids ate. Eventually, Cooper moved onto what he had wanted to talk about. "So, what's got you so down?"

Blaine sighed and put his fork down. "Too much. The duet I did, I sang with my..." He paused. "With my boyfriend. Which I should've been happy about. But it just felt... wrong. I was supposed to sing with someone else, but he couldn't make it."

"It sucks that he wasn't here. And it sucks that you have to tell him you guys lost. But don't feel bad he couldn't come, there's gonna be other competitions. Unless he's a senior..."

"It's not that, Coop. I can't stop thinking about him. The same way I think about Kurt, the way I used to think about Sebastian..."

"You're in love with another guy, aren't you? First of all, tell your boyfriend. Second, this doesn't matter anyway. No offense. But high school relationships usually don't last."

"I think Kurt knows. And it does matter. A lot. What do I do? Leave Kurt for Sam? Stay with Kurt? Don't be with either?"

Cooper shrugged. "Be with both?"

"As much as I want to, I can't."

"And why not?" Cooper sipped his coffee. 

"Isn't it illegal or something?"

"If you're married, I think. But if not, it's not illegal."

"Do you really think either of them would agree to it? Because I don't."

"I don't know, try it!"

"Okay, fine." Blaine didn't plan on actually bringing that up. He had two weeks to figure out what he was going to do. He only hoped he'd make the right decision.


	23. Daddy Dearest

The day after sectionals, Blaine went to Dalton Academy to celebrate The Warblers' victory with them. He brought Cooper with him, who insisted on coming to revisit his old school, since he used to attend Dalton as well.

"Oh, hello, Blaine," Sebastian said with a smirk. "Back where you belong? And who's this, your new boyfriend? I'm a bit offended you didn't ask me first."

"I'm here to congratulate you. We're all still friends, at least I hope we are, so I thought I should stop by. And this is my brother, Cooper."

"Wait, Cooper?" Nick asked. "Cooper Anderson?"

"The famous Cooper Anderson?" Jeff added. 

Cooper smiled. "That's me. Nice to see I've got fans."

"They don't know who you are, they probably just saw your name on the notable alumni list," Hunter said. 

"Well, I'm happy I made the list."

"Your commercials are so inspirational," Trent said. 

"Enough about my brother," Blaine said. "You guys did amazing yesterday!"

"Someone's jealous," Sebastian said. Blaine gently elbowed him in the side.

"Don't touch him," Hunter said. 

"I didn't hurt him, it was gentle."

"I don't care. Don't fucking touch him."

"Okay, sorry..."

"Jeez, Hunt, calm down..." Sebastian put an arm around Hunter. "I'm all yours."

"I'm not jealous, I don't want him hurting you."

"And he wouldn't. But thank you for caring." He smiled and kissed Hunter's cheek.

"Gross," Cooper said. Blaine laughed a bit. 

"Shut up, both of you," Hunter said, glaring at the brothers. 

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Cooper mumbled.

"What was that?" Hunter took a few steps toward them. 

"Nothing you need to hear."

"Hunt, please." Sebastian grabbed Hunter's hand. "Calm down, alright?" Hunter just nodded and took a step back. 

Blaine sat on one of the couches with Trent on one side of him and Cooper on the other. Trent looked nervous, but since that wasn't unusual for him, nobody questioned it. Sebastian and Hunter were on the other couch, with Sebastian sitting on Hunter's lap, arms wrapped around him tightly. 

"Everyone thought we'd lose this year," Nick said. 

"We thought we'd never be able to do it without you," Jeff added. 

"Because what are The Warblers without Blaine?"

"A lot," Hunter said. 

"No offense, but that seems to be true," Sebastian said. "If only you'd stayed..."

"It's good he didn't. We never would've won with him. Everyone thought he was the best, that's because he's all we knew. Just because you're head Warbler doesn't mean you get every solo. Did you see me in the spotlight every second? No. So-"

"Actually, the council decides who gets the solos," Blaine interrupted. "Wes and David put me in the spotlight, don't blame me." Both Wes and David looked up at Blaine, then to Hunter. They moved closer to each other and backed up a bit, David stepping behind Wes.

"I'm not finished. Don't fucking interrupt." Hunter moved Sebastian off his lap and got up. Everyone except Blaine, Cooper, and Sebastian turned away, trying to avoid eye contact with Hunter. "Listen, Blaine. I don't hate you. I used to admire you. I used to be jealous. But now that you're gone, I see how wrong I was about you. How wrong we all were. And I'm tired of your bullshit, okay? I think I speak for everyone when I say you are nothing without us."

"I don't see what the problem-"

"You're the problem. You're always the fucking problem." 

"What did Blaine ever do to you?" Cooper asked. He stood up and took a few steps towards Hunter. "Because it seems to me like maybe you're still jealous."

"He existed," Hunter replied. He took a few steps forward as well so he was right in Cooper's face. "And I'm not jealous. I never will be again."

"God, you sound like a child."

"Nobody asked you, superstar," Hunter said, shoving Cooper back. It was harder than Cooper would have expected.

Blaine immediately got between them. "No fighting. That is completely unnecessary."

"Don't tell me what to do." Hunter shoved Blaine as well with the same force he'd shoved Cooper with, but it had a greater impact on Blaine since he wasn't as strong.

"I-I just...don't like fighting," Blaine said quickly.

"Don't like fighting?" Hunter repeated. "Fucking coward." He shoved him again. 

"Enough! I don't want-" Blaine was interrupted by Hunter slapping him in the face. He put his hand on his face but otherwise stayed still for a moment before backing up until he was touching Cooper. 

Cooper immediately wrapped his arms around Blaine. "Hunter, enough. There was no reason for that. I don't know what your problem is, but taking it out on Blaine was unnecessary. Don't touch him again. Ever." He looked down at Blaine. "Are you okay?" Blaine nodded, but he was still holding his face and he was crying softly. "Let's go. I'll carry you out." Cooper picked Blaine up and carried Blaine out to the car, then set him down and opened the door. Once Blaine was in, Cooper closed the door and went to the drivers side. 

Blaine immediately broke down. He cried harder, no longer holding back. He was also shaking a bit. He didn't want to admit that something was wrong, even though it was impossible to hide.

"I know he hasn't stopped," Cooper said. Blaine looked up at him. He didn't know what to say. He knew exactly what Cooper was talking about. Their father had always been abusive, especially to Blaine. He'd often get yelled at or hit for no reason other than their father being upset about something and needing someone to take it out on. Cooper was spared for the most part, only getting yelled at on occasion. He'd only gotten hit once, when he tried to protect Blaine. After Cooper moved out, he tried to check in on Blaine whenever he could, and Blaine always said the same thing - the abuse had stopped. Cooper never believed it, but he could never get Blaine to admit anything. 

"He stopped a while ago," Blaine said quietly. They both knew that wasn't true, Blaine had been hit just a few days earlier for getting home too late. But he felt bad telling Cooper the truth. He didn't want to worry him, and he didn't want Cooper giving up his dreams to protect him.

Cooper sighed. "I'm getting you out of that house." He looked at Blaine for a bit before he started driving. He was going straight to the hotel he was staying at, not taking Blaine home first. He would do anything he could to keep Blaine away from their father.


	24. Motel Rooms

Cooper pulled into the parking lot of the motel he was staying at. It wasn't fancy, not something someone would expect Cooper to be staying at. But he decided to stay somewhere cheap, knowing there was a chance he'd have to extend his stay past the three days he originally planned for. It was also close to home, and the more expensive hotels were further away. He was now hoping to move back to Lima. Even though there weren't many acting jobs there, he had Blaine, and that was more important than his dream, although he'd never admit it.

"Why are we here?" Blaine asked.

"This is where I'm staying," Cooper replied. "I know it's not the nicest, but it's good enough for me."

Blaine looked around. He recognized this place, it was the same motel Sam was living in. He wanted to knock on Sam's door and see if he was there, but he knew there was no way. He'd still be gone for a few more days. He knew this was for the best, but he missed Sam and couldn't wait for him to come back.

"Hey, Blaine? You okay?" Cooper asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"I'm going back there tomorrow. Just to talk some sense into that Hunter kid. I don't want you coming, but I'm not sure about leaving you by yourself. Got anyone to hang out with?"

Blaine shrugged. "I could call Kurt."

"Yeah. Ask him now, tell him to get here any time tomorrow morning. I'll leave once he gets here. So I might be gone when you wake up. But if you need anything, call me and I'll get back here as fast as I can. Now go to bed. It's late."

Blaine rolled his eyes. Cooper was acting like a parent again, something Blaine hated. It made him feel like a child. Just because Cooper was older didn't mean he got to act like the parent. But Blaine chose not to argue and did as Cooper said, getting in one of the beds and closing his eyes.

When Blaine woke up, Kurt was sitting beside him, reading a book. Blaine rubbed his eyes and sat up, leaning against Kurt. "Hi."

"Hi." Kurt smiled and put his book down, then kissed Blaine's head. "Did you sleep good?" Blaine nodded, yawning. "I'm sure you did. I was trying to be quiet when I got here, but I didn't even have to. You slept through it all. It was cute. Cooper told you he went to Dalton?" Blaine nodded again. "Good. We have a few hours, at least... What do you want to do? Or...do you want to talk about what happened with Hunter?"

Blaine shook his head. "I definitely don't want to talk about Hunter..."

"Okay. Well, if you need anything, I'm here." Kurt smiled and squeezed Blaine's hand.

"Thank you." Blaine smiled back.

"Of course, baby. Now, what should we do?" Kurt looked around. "Hotels are so boring. There's nothing to do."

"We have each other. That's enough for me."

"Yeah, but..." He paused and looked around. "There has to be something. We could... Watch TV? But I'm sure there's nothing on, and we'll probably never agree."

"Or we could just enjoy each other's company," Blaine said, moving closer to Kurt. "Don't worry about what we're doing. We don't get enough time alone together, and now we finally have some..."

"Okay. That works for me."

"Perfect." Blaine took Kurt's hand, then kissed his cheek.

When Cooper arrived at Dalton, he immediately started looking for Hunter. He didn't find him, but he did find Sebastian sitting on a couch alone, staring at the wall, tears streaming down his face. "Hey, Sebastian... You okay?"

Sebastian shook his head. "Hunter, he..."

"He what?" Cooper knelt beside the couch.

"After you left, he got worse. Angrier. He was yelling at everyone, throwing things... I tried to calm him down, but he just yelled at me too..." Sebastian stopped and took a deep breath. "Steroids. All the Warblers used them. Except me and Trent. They thought they couldn't win without me, so... Um..." He paused. "Hunter's gone. I don't know what happened, but he left a few hours ago. I don't think he'll be back. And we didn't win sectionals. But it's okay, because it means Blaine did. And... I broke up with him."

"Oh my God, Seb... I'm so sorry..." He pulled him into a tight hug. "Do you need anything?"

"You. Just... Stay. Please." He hugged Cooper, squeezing him a bit.

"Of course. I'll stay for as long as you need."

Sebastian let go of Cooper and moved back a bit. "Let's go up to my room." He took Cooper's hand and led him up to the dorms.

Sebastian had a tendency to rush into relationships, but that didn't make them any less meaningful to him. He began dating Hunter almost immediately after Blaine broke up with him, which nobody was surprised about. He knew it would be wrong to start a relationship with Cooper. Not only did he just break up with Hunter, someone he already missed and didn't want to lose, but not long before that, Blaine, Cooper's brother who Sebastian knew he always felt inferior to, had broken up with him. 

"Hey, Cooper?" 

"Hm?"

"I just wanted to ask..." He paused. "Would you, um... Would you be able to stay here tonight? With me? I don't want to be alone, Hunt left..."

"Oh, sure. I can do that." Cooper smiled at Sebastian, then took out his phone to tell Blaine that he wouldn't be back until the next day.

Blaine looked at his phone. "Cooper said he's staying at Dalton... Everything's okay, Sebastian just wants company. He won't be back until tomorrow." 

"So we have more time alone?" Kurt asked. "Or should I say, more time to do nothing besides occasionally asking what we want to do?"

Blaine nodded. He didn't want to mention his concerns about Cooper staying. He didn't want to say that he was concerned about Sebastian replacing him for the second time, this time with his own brother. He didn't want to mention that Cooper always got everything he wanted and never cared about what happened to Blaine, even though he pretended to. He didn't want to mention that he still cared about Sebastian.

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked, putting an arm around Blaine.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Blaine said, smiling a bit. 

"Good." Kurt kissed Blaine's cheek and squeezed him a bit. "So, is there anything you want to do? Because I know you aren't okay, even though you said you are. I won't push though."

"Well, that kiss helped a bit..."

"Okay, baby." Kurt kissed Blaine's cheek again, then kissed his lips. 

"Thank you." 

"Did you thank me for a kiss? Because you don't have to do that, even though it was adorable."

"Yes? You didn't have to, so-"

Kurt interrupted him by kissing him on the lips again. "Shhh. And no thanking me again."

"Well, if it'll get me another kiss, I'll never stop thanking you." 

"You don't have to do anything to get another." He gave Blaine another kiss. Blaine put a hand on the back of Kurt's head, hoping that would stop him from pulling away. Blaine laid down, still holding Kurt. Kurt stopped kissing him, then sat up. 

"Everything okay?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah. I just...would rather do something else," Kurt replied.

"Okay. Do you have anything in mind?"

Kurt shook his head. "Anything. Just this is fine."

"In that case, I do have something to talk to you about."

"Okay. Well, we have all night." 

Blaine stayed quiet for a moment, trying to think of what to say. "I just don't know how to feel about Cooper staying with Sebastian. Cooper is...he's better than me. In every way. He always has been, and I'm sure he always will be. My mom didn't make it too obvious that she likes him better, but I know she does... My dad on the other hand..." He trailed off and looked down.

"What?" Kurt put a hand on Blaine's shoulder. Blaine just shook his head. He had already said too much. He didn't like when anyone knew there was anything bothering him, no matter how big or small. It always made him feel like an inconvenience. 

They stayed quiet for a bit, Kurt still holding onto Blaine. Blaine rested his head on Kurt's shoulder and held onto him tight. After a few moments, Blaine started crying into Kurt's shirt. Kurt didn't say anything, he only held him close, not wanting to push him to talk if he didn't want to. Blaine eventually fell asleep, and Kurt carefully pulled him into his lap and held him close. 

At Dalton, Cooper and Sebastian had both fallen asleep as well, both in Sebastian's bed, with Sebastian's arms and legs wrapped around Cooper.


	25. Run Away With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blaine's Song - Run Away With Me from The Mad Ones studio cast recording, sung by Ben Fankhauser
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk6H8FPffck

Blaine went back home not long after Kurt left the next day. Cooper never came back, and he didn't like the idea of being home in a motel, especially since he couldn't stop thinking about the last time he was there.

All day and night, Blaine was thinking about Sam. He had hoped that by not having around, he'd stop thinking about him so much, but the opposite happened. He didn't think he'd be able to push those thoughts aside anymore. He'd have to say or do something.

Sam was back in school the next day. Blaine had tried to avoid him all day. He wasn't ready to talk to him yet, he still didn't know what to say. Blaine arrived at rehearsal early. Sam was one of the last people to arrive, and he sat on the opposite side of the room. Blaine felt a bit bad and hoped he didn't make Sam feel unwanted, but he still wasn't sure what to say.

Mr. Schuester walked in, and before he could announce the lesson for the week, Blaine interrupted. "Is it okay if I sing something before we start?

"Oh, yeah. Go ahead." Mr. Schuester stepped aside, and Blaine went to the front of the room.

"I, um... I don't really have anything to say, so... Hit it, I guess." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, then slowly opened them and started singing. The lyrics fit how he was feeling almost too perfectly,

"Let me catch my breath   
This is really hard  
If I start to look like I'm sweating  
Well, that's cause I am"

He paused for a moment when he got to the chorus, then took a few steps towards Kurt and knelt in front of him, then started singing,

"Run away with me   
Let me be your ride outta town  
Let me be the place that you hide  
We can make our lives on the go  
Run away with me"

He went back to the front of the room and carried on,

"Texas in the summer is cool  
We'll be 'On the Road' like Jack Kerouac  
Looking back"

He paused suddenly before continuing,

"You're ready,   
Let's go"

When he got to the second verse, he took a few steps forward, still walking slowly when he started singing,

"Sam I know it's fast,  
I'm in love with you  
Sam it's crazy butSam I'm crazier for you  
I have these plans  
Sam I have these plans  
Of a house that we build on the bay  
When we run away"

Everyone in the room fell silent, looking at Sam, Blaine, or Kurt. Sam was confused, wondering if he had missed something. He didn't think he could have, there didn't seem to be any issue between Kurt and Blaine, but a lot could change in a few days. He didn't know the song, but assumed that Blaine was just singing the lyrics how they were written, not changing anything, but the song was intended for Kurt. Kurt knew the song was meant for Sam, but he wasn't upset about it. Of course he didn't love the idea, but he was happy that Blaine was being honest about how he felt. 

When Blaine finished the song, he stood in the front of the room, not saying a word. He didn't know what to say. He knew he had to say something, though. "Um... Kurt and Sam, can I talk to you? Both of you. Now. Outside." He went out into the hall, Kurt and Sam following. "So, the song... It was for both of you. I know it was awkward, and maybe I shouldn't have sang it. I'm sorry. But I had to do something, and-"

"It's okay," Kurt interrupted. "It...was a bit awkward. But it's okay. I'm not upset about it or anything. Actually, I'm happy you did it. I like that you're honest."

"Yeah, I was just confused," Sam admitted. "I mean, I leave for a week and come back to that. I didn't know if it was for me, or Kurt, if you two were still together..." 

"Yeah, I...should've said something," Blaine said. "I'm sorry for avoiding you all day. I did want to talk to you, I just didn't know how. But that song said it all."

"So, what happens now?" Kurt asked. "You like him and me, we both like you..."

"I don't know what happens now," Blaine replied. "I do want both of you, but...I can't do that. And Kurt, I'm not leaving you. I'll never leave you, I promise."

"Okay... I trust you."

"Good. I'm sorry. I guess...we should go back now." Blaine went back into the choir room, but Kurt and Sam stayed in the hall.

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Better. I have to be honest, I didn't think that would help, but it did. Thank you," Sam replied.

"Of course. If you ever need anything, I'm here, okay? No matter what."

"Thanks. I, um... I'm gonna go back in now. Unless you have something else to say."

"No, that's it. Just wanted to check up on you. And make sure you know that I'm always here." 

"Okay... Actually, can I ask you something? It's...kind of stupid, but... Do I look any different?"

Kurt looked at Sam for a moment. "No... I don't think so. Why?"

"Just wondering. Thanks." Sam ran back into the choir room before Kurt could say anything else. Kurt followed, still confused but not wanting to push.


	26. Falling Apart

Blaine noticed that Kurt always seemed to be watching Sam, usually trying to hide it but never really being able to. He assumed that Kurt was jealous in some way, or was worried about losing him to Sam, although Blaine tried to make it clear that wouldn't happen. Maybe Kurt was worried, questioning if Sam meant it when he said he was doing better.

Kurt was worried, but not for that reason. He'd been worrying since Sam asked if he looked different. He didn't know why he'd asked that or why he didn't give an explanation, but the reason was becoming more and more obvious. He noticed Sam working harder than usual during gym and football practices, not being able to hang out because he couldn't miss a workout, and barely eating anything during lunch. Kurt wanted to help, but wasn't sure how to and knew how hard it was to do the right thing. He knew that even if his intentions were good, he could easily say the wrong thing and make everything worse.

Kurt decided to go to Finn for help, although he knew there wasn't much he could do. Usually when Kurt tried to get help from Finn, he ended up figuring out the solution himself as he talked through it, with Finn occasionally chiming in.

"You know how Blaine feels about Sam, and I don't think he'd replace me, but I can't be sure," Kurt explained.

"Yeah, and Sam mentioned liking Blaine, I think," Finn added. "Did you know that? If not, you didn't hear it from me."

"I did know that. I think...maybe they're supposed to be together. Maybe they need each other. I don't know, it just seems so right..."

"No. You belong with Blaine. Even though you always vent to me about how it's not working out, or something..."

"Maybe..." Kurt thought for a moment. "I just want both of them to be happy. I love Blaine, and I'm starting to become a bit protective of Sam. If they're happier together... Then they should be together, don't you agree?"

"Yeah, but then you're not happy. You always sacrifice your happiness for everyone else. It's nice, but it's too much sometimes. Let yourself be happy."

"Okay..." Kurt sighed. 

Blaine started doing all he could for Kurt. He was giving him as much attention as he could, trying to make sure he was always happy. For a few days, everything seemed to be okay. But after a while, it wasn't anymore. Something was always off, no matter what Blaine tried to do. But every time he asked what was wrong, Kurt denied there was anything.

Kurt wanted to talk about his feelings, but he didn't want to tell Blaine. He didn't want to upset him. He'd usually talk to Finn about whatever he needed, but he didn't feel he could this time. He didn't know if he could talk to Sam about it, but that's what he chose to do. He did want them to be closer, and he wanted Sam to know they could be completely honest with each other.

Kurt got to school early the next day, partially because he wanted to get out of the house and also to make sure he'd be able to find Sam before school started. He was waiting in the lobby since he wasn't sure where Sam's locker was. By the time Sam got to school, there wasn't much time left before the bell. "Hey, Sam, can we talk? It doesn't have to be right now, but if you don't mind missing your first class, it can be. Up to you."

"Sure. We can talk now, " Sam replied. "You seem anxious... Everything okay?"

Kurt shook his head. "Come with me." He grabbed Sam's hand and led him outside and behind the bleachers. 

"What's up? It's about Blaine, isn't it? I promise there's nothing between us and there never will be."

"No, no... It's not that. I wish it was that, it'd be better..." He paused, fidgeting with his hands a bit. "It's my dad, actually. He, um...he's back in the hospital. And he was okay last time, but... Well, we can never be sure, you know."


	27. Heaven

Sam wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't really help, as much as he wanted to. "I'm sure he'll be okay... Like you said, he was okay last time. And he has something to fight for, which is you. I've heard that helps. Right? Uh... And you have us! And Finn, and Carole. We'll help you."

"I really hope so..." Kurt looked down. "I'm sorry for bothering you with this. I needed someone, I didn't want to talk to Finn about it since it affects him too, and I didn't want Blaine to worry. If you want to go you can, I completely understand." 

"No, no. I'll stay. Unless you don't want me to."

"I want you to. I...I really want you to. Please."

"Okay. No problem. So...need anything?"

Kurt shrugged. "Maybe a hug, I don't know." 

"I can do that." Sam hugged him. "I know it's gonna sound stupid, but don't worry. It'll work out. It'll all be okay."

"And if it's not?" Kurt pulled away from the hug. "I can't lose him. You don't understand. He's all I have. All I've had for my whole life, pretty much. And maybe I have more people now, but I still need him. I don't know where I'd be without him, and I don't want to find out."

"I know, but-"

"You don't know!" Kurt yelled, covering his face with his hands. "Nobody knows. Except Finn, maybe... But that's it. God, why am I even telling you about this?"

"Okay, maybe know wasn't the right word. I meant I understand that he's important, but instead of thinking about what'll happen if... Instead of thinking about the bad things, think about the good stuff."

"There isn't any good stuff..."

"What about me? I'm good, right?"

"Yeah. You are." Kurt moved his hands away from his face and smiled a bit.

"There's that pretty smile."

"Pretty?"

"I didn't mean... Well... You know."

Kurt nodded. "I know."

"I mean, not that you aren't pretty, I just... I should just stop talking now, shouldn't I?"

"I don't think so. You did make me smile, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did. Pretty proud of that."

Kurt smiled a bit more. "You should be."

"Hey, I did it again!" 

"Yes you did. I knew coming to you was the right idea." He hugged Sam again. "I'm sorry for yelling..."

He hugged back. "It's okay. I get it. Really, I can't hold it against you or anything." 

"Thank you..." He pulled away. "You're just...amazing. Too amazing."

"I'm not, but thank you." 

"You are. I really didn't think I'd smile again, at least not until he got out..." He looked down, the smile fading from his face.

"Kurt, look at me." Kurt looked up at him. "You have so many reasons to smile, okay? You deserve to be happy, and I'll make sure you are. Understand?" Kurt nodded. "Good. So I need you to try to stop thinking about your dad for now, okay? I know it's hard, and maybe you don't want to, but it's just gonna hurt you more."

"I'll do my best... I'd need a distraction though," Kurt said, his gaze moving from Sam's eyes to his lips.

"Okay! Uh... What do you wanna talk about? Something good. Happy. Not sad. Or about your dad."

"Okay. Well, I could tell you a funny story..." Kurt smiled a bit. "When I first met you, you remember that duet thing? And I wanted to sing with you?" Sam nodded. "Well, I had a crush on you then. Isn't that crazy? Maybe you knew, I don't know..."

"That's your funny story?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. Maybe it isn't funny, but... That's my story. I don't know if it's just because I thought there was a chance you might be gay and that's the only reason, or if I actually did like you. I mean, you are cute, I have to say. But lately I've been trying to go more by personality than looks, and... Well, it seems you have both."

"Thanks. And you're right, I do. I think. Is it weird for me to say that about myself? Am I, like... a narcissist or something now?"

"No, but you are an idiot," Kurt said, smiling. 

"What did I do?"

Kurt rolled his eyes, then smiled at Sam. "You didn't do anything."

"Then why-"

Sam was interrupted by Kurt kissing him. He quickly but gently pushed Kurt back. "I, um... I'm not upset that you did that, I just... I don't know if you should, I mean... You're with Blaine, so..."

"I know. Maybe that was stupid of me. But I meant it."

"Are we gonna tell him? Or...is it a secret? Because I think we should tell him."

"I'll take care of it, okay? I have to go now. I'll see you later." Kurt picked up his bag and smiled at Sam before leaving.


	28. I Will Love You

That night, Kurt went over to Blaine's house to watch a movie. Blaine had invited him earlier that day, and Kurt was very happy he did. It was the perfect opportunity to talk to him about what happened with Sam. He just hoped Blaine wouldn't be mad, but he didn't think he would be. 

Kurt didn't have to be at Blaine's until 7. He stayed after school to watch the football team, hoping their practice would run late and he wouldn't have to go home after. He tried keeping his focus on Finn, not wanting to look at Sam. He did regret the kiss, and he didn't think he would have done it if he wasn't in such a vulnerable state. 

The practice ended around 4:30, so Kurt did have to go home first. He stayed in his bedroom and put on music, but wasn't really listening. He just laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying not to cry. He didn't come when Carole called him for dinner, he didn't have an appetite. When Finn came to get him, he said that he would be eating at Blaine's house. That was technically true, he knew Blaine would make popcorn and that would be more than enough.

As soon as 6:45 came around, Kurt left the house as quickly as he could, looking down as he passed his dad and Carole's bedroom. He left without saying a word to Finn and Carole, he had no reason to tell them anything. They knew where he was going.

Kurt knocked on Blaine's door, trying to keep himself from crying. He hoped it wasn't obvious that he had been, even though he knew he could talk to Blaine about what was going on, and he probably should. 

Blaine opened the door, then immediately pulled Kurt into a hug. "Hey... Are you okay?" 

Kurt nodded, hugging back tight. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Are you sure? You look like you've been crying..."

"No, no. I'm fine, really." He pulled back and smiled. "Can we go in?"

"Yeah, of course." Blaine took Kurt's hand and led him inside. "I made popcorn, and I got fruit punch. Wasn't sure how you felt about soda. And I rented Moulin Rouge. I don't have the DVD, surprisingly."

Kurt smiled. "Thank you." 

"Of course." Blaine kissed Kurt's cheek. Kurt looked down and bit his lip. "Oh, sorry..."

"No, don't be. It's okay. You didn't do anything."

"Something's wrong... You can talk to me." Blaine sat on the couch and patted the spot next to him. 

Kurt sat next to Blaine, keeping a bit of space between us. "There's a lot, actually. A lot that I should tell you, but I don't know how. I guess... I'll start with the easier thing to talk about." He took a deep breath. "Okay... Please don't kill me. I...kind of wish I didn't, and I didn't...really want to..."

"I'm not going to kill you, Kurt. You know that. So just tell me."

"Okay... It happened today, this morning. So I'm not keeping secrets or anything, and it was only once, nothing more. I promise."

"Okay, what is it?" 

"I kissed Sam. Once. That's it. Never again. I promise."

"I'm not mad. It's fine. After what I did with Sebastian, and when I sang Run Away With Me... I really couldn't be mad, even if I wanted to be."

"Oh, thank God..." He smiled. "I don't know why I was so worried..."

"I don't either, but it's okay." Blaine put an arm around Kurt. "So, what's the other thing?"

"The...other thing. Right. Um... My dad is back in the hospital, and-"

"Shh. That's all you have to tell me. Unless you want to say more, but I can tell you can't."

"Thank you..." Kurt hugged Blaine tight and cried into his shirt. Blaine hugged back just as tight. "Can you put the movie on please? I need a distraction..." Blaine nodded and played the movie. He still held Kurt tight. Kurt rested his head on Blaine's shoulder. "Are we alone? Not that it matters... I'm just wondering."

"I think so. My mom is working, my dad is...I don't even know, but he isn't here. And Cooper never came back from Dalton. He said he would, and we'd move in together or something, but... He kind of left me for Sebastian."

"Oh." Kurt moved closer to Blaine, now almost on top of him. 

"Sorry." 

"It's okay." Kurt pulled Blaine into his lap and held him. They watched the movie quietly for a bit. When Come What May started, Kurt kissed Blaine's cheek. Blaine smiled a bit, then turned to kiss back. "You know, Blainey... I've always wanted to sing this song at my wedding, if I ever have one. It used to seem so...impossible. For a few reasons. But now that I have you, I really think it'll happen. And this song suits your voice.

Blaine smiled. "That sounds like an amazing idea. And I'd love to sing this with you someday."

"Perfect."

By the time the movie ended, Kurt and Blaine had both fallen asleep. They were woken up by the door opening. Blaine grabbed onto Kurt tightly and looked over at the door. "Oh, hey Coop... You scared me. I thought... Nevermind." He thought it might be his father, and was relieved to see it wasn't.

"Hey there. Am I interrupting something?" Cooper asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, you just woke us up," Blaine replied.

"Sleeping together, huh?" 

Blaine blushed. "Shut up..."

"What are you doing here?" Kurt asked. 

"I live here," Cooper replied. "Just got back from Dalton, and I have to say, I'm not sure why Blaine broke up with Seb, but I'm happy he did."

"Are you...dating my ex?" Blaine asked. 

"Sure am."

"I... Okay. Whatever."

"Anyway, I'll leave you two alone now. I'm going up to my room, and I'll put the TV on so I don't hear you two." He winked at them before going upstairs.

"God, I hate him..." Blaine said.

"Why? Because he's with Sebastian?" Kurt asked.

"No, because... I'm just mad that he left me here so he could be with Sebastian, who doesn't want or need him. And I... I do need him."

"Why's that?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Okay..." Kurt kissed his cheek. "So... I do want to ask you about something. It's already pretty late, so is it okay if I stay overnight?"

"Of course." 

"Good. And tomorrow... If it's okay with you... Maybe we can ask Sam to come over as well?"

"Yeah, sure!" Blaine smiled.

"Perfect. Now, back to sleep?"

"Hm... Maybe we should move to my room. Cooper gave me an idea."

"Oh. Okay. He won't hear?"

"The TV."

"Alright then." Kurt kissed Blaine, then picked him up and carried him to the bedroom.


	29. Truly Happy

The next morning, Kurt woke up first and immediately checked his phone. He was relieved to see that he didn't have any missed calls or texts, meaning even though his dad wasn't better, he wasn't worse either.

It was still early and he was very tired, but he decided not to go back to sleep. He quietly got out of bed and got dressed, trying not to wake Blaine up. He sat in a chair on the other side of the room and watched Blaine sleep. He did feel a bit creepy watching, but he didn't want to stop. He looked so perfect, still undressed after the previous night, his messy hair not yet covered in gel, the slight smile on his face.

When Blaine first woke up, he was confused and a bit sad, not sure where Kurt had gone. He worried that something may have happened with his father, so he left. "Over here, baby," Kurt said. Blaine turned to face him and smiled. "I woke up a while ago. I didn't want to wake you, so I didn't get back in bed."

"Thank you for actually staying," Blaine said.

"Of course." Kurt went back to the bed and kissed Blaine. "Now, get dressed. I can make breakfast, then I'll text Sam. Okay?"

"Okay."

Kurt went downstairs to make pancakes while Blaine got dressed and did his hair. By the time he got downstairs, breakfast was ready. Cooper joined them for breakfast, then left to see Sebastian. After they finished, Kurt texted Sam and asked him to come over. Kurt and Blaine cuddled on the couch while they waited, both checking their phones often. Kurt was waiting for any news, and Blaine was making sure nobody would be coming home. He didn't mind if Cooper or his mother came, but he was worried about his father.

"We still have a few minutes alone, so... Can I talk to you about something?" Kurt asked.

Blaine nodded. "Sure." He was expecting something bad, even though there was no reason for him to think that. There was just something about that phrase that led him to assume the worst.

"It's about Sam. Not that I think you'll leave me for him, or that I want to leave you for him... Nothing like that. I was just thinking... Well, you like each other. I don't... Really know if I like him, I did for a while but now... I don't know, I thought I didn't, but the kiss... Anyway, you can... You can be with both of us, if you want. And if it's okay with him."

"That's all I've wanted since I met you two," Blaine said, smiling. "I thought it was impossible, actually. I was going to mention it to you, Cooper said I should, but I was almost positive you'd hate the idea."

"I don't hate it. I don't love it either, but it's okay. And don't ask if I'm sure. I know I am."

There were a few reasons why Kurt decided he would let Blaine be with both of them. One, he wanted Blaine to be as happy as he could be. Two, he was worried that if he didn't, Blaine might not be fully honest if something happened between him and Sam. Three, he wasn't sure what was going to happen with his dad and didn't know what would happen to him if things didn't go well, and Blaine needed someone that would be there if he couldn't be. And four, he thought he might still have some feelings for Sam himself.

Kurt opened the door when he heard Sam knock. "He knows. About both things. I told him last night. And it's okay." He led Sam to the couch and sat beside Blaine. Sam stood beside the couch and leaned against the wall.

"Can we tell him?" Blaine asked. "About what you just said?"

"If you want to," Kurt replied.

"Yeah!" He turned to Sam. "So... Kurt told me that, if you're okay with it, I can be with both of you. Instead of just having to pick one. So, are you okay with it?"

"Yeah! I think. I'm not really sure what that means..."

"It means that he'll be dating both of us. At the same time," Kurt explained. "So we'll have to share him. But I don't mind if you don't."

"I don't mind. Um... What does that make us?"

Kurt shrugged. "Friends, I guess."

Sam nodded. "Friends. Yeah."

"Um, if you two wanted to be together... That's okay," Blaine said.

"No, no. It's fine," Kurt replied.

"Yeah, I'm cool with just being his friend," Sam said.

"Okay. If you change your mind, just tell me. I promise it's okay. Anyway, um... Wanna go up to my room? There's more space there, and it's more comfortable... And nobody will bother us if they come home..."

"Okay. Let's go then," Kurt said, getting up.

"Sam, carry me?" Blaine asked.

"Um, yeah, I could..."

"I'll carry you," Kurt said. He picked Blaine up. "Okay. Let's go." He carried Blaine up to the bedroom and Sam followed. Kurt put Blaine on the bed and laid beside him, and Sam stood beside the bed.

"Lay down. There's plenty of room," Blaine said.

"No, I'll stand. It's fine," Sam replied.

"Please lay with us," Kurt said.

"Fine." Sam laid beside Blaine. Blaine held Kurt's hand with one hand and played with Sam's hair with the other. He smiled, truly happy for the first time in a long time.


	30. Beaten

Nothing lasts forever.

The reason Blaine was never truly happy wasn't because he never had a reason to be. It was because he never allowed it. Whenever he was happy, something bad would happen. He learned to never look forward to anything, so that he would never be disappointed. In that moment, laying between the two people he loved more than anything, he forgot. He only remembered when he heard the sound of a phone ring.

Kurt sat up and checked his phone. "Not me. Blaine, I think it's yours."

Blaine looked over at his phone. His dad was calling. He knew that meant he'd be coming home. At least he'd gotten a warning this time, sometimes he didn't. He'd be able to get Kurt and Sam out of the house, so neither of them would get hurt. "It's my dad. Probably telling me he's coming back. So that means, unfortunately, you'll have to leave. He's gonna want some alone time with me. We don't get much. Um... I'll see you tomorrow though."

"Okay. See you tomorrow!" Sam said, smiling.

"Yeah... Everything's okay?" Kurt asked.

Blaine nodded. "Everything's fine."

"Good. See you tomorrow." Kurt kissed his cheek before leaving, followed by Sam. Blaine stayed in his room, not wanting to move. He heard the front door and sighed, relieved they'd made it out in time. He didn't pick up the phone, something he knew he'd regret. But he wanted to go as long as possible without hearing his dad's voice.

He wasn't sure how much time went by before he heard the door again, then footsteps coming upstairs. "Blaine, are you here?" His father called out. He didn't respond. He wished Cooper was here. Not that it would stop anything, but at least he'd have someone to go to after. His father appeared in the doorway. Neither of them spoke, they just stared at each other in silence. Blaine was too scared to do anything. He knew what was coming, and he only wished his father would hurry up and get it over with. "Where's your brother? Do you know?" Blaine shook his head. A lie, but his father wouldn't know that. He didn't want to tell him he was with Sebastian. Their father actually liked Cooper, but would feel differently knowing he wasn't straight. "Okay. Well, it's just us then." He smiled and sat on the bed. "Talk to me."

"I don't want to," Blaine mumbled. He regretted that as soon as he said it. Obviously that wasn't something his father would like to hear. He only hoped that he didn't hear it, and he'd be able to figure out something else to say and that he'd believe it.

"Don't want to?" His father repeated. "And why not? It's been a while. How was the competition? I heard you won, but only because those Dalton boys cheated... Remember when you were one of them? I felt much better telling everyone I had a son attending Dalton Academy rather than some public school with almost no budget, but... It is what it is. Your new school suits you much better."

"I'm happier there."

"Are you? Well, isn't that nice? School isn't about being happy, though. It's about education. Learning. Something you haven't been doing much of lately..."

"I'm doing my best."

"Your best isn't enough, Blaine." He stood up. "Why can't you be more like Cooper? Talented. Smart. Attractive. _Straight_."

Blaine didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. If his father was standing, that meant he was angry. He'd either storm out, which wouldn't do much more than scare Blaine, or he'd hit him. And he couldn't risk saying the wrong thing.

"You don't have an answer," his father said. "Not surprising. Now, listen to me. I haven't seen you in days. Can't you try to say something? Anything?" Blaine still didn't speak. "Okay. Up. Now." Blaine didn't move. "Blaine. Up." He hesitantly stood up and faced his father, knowing that'd be the next thing asked of him. "Good. But just because you listened does not mean I'll be letting you go. But you knew that, didn't you?" Blaine nodded quickly. "Good."

The beating seemed to go on forever, but in reality, couldn't have lasted more than a few minutes. After his father left, Blaine stayed where he was, curled up on the floor. He needed a few minutes to calm down, hopefully for some of the pain to go away. He heard his phone go off a few times, but he ignored it. He finally got up, then looked at his phone. Two missed calls from Finn and three from Kurt, along with a voicemail from each and two texts from Kurt. He checked the texts first.

_"_ _He's gone."_

_"I love you."_


	31. Until the End of Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Attempted suicide

Blaine sent a few texts back and called a couple times, but got no reply to anything. He tried texting Finn as well, just trying to see if he could at least confirm that Kurt was okay, but got no reply from him either. After waiting for a while, he decided to ask Sam if he could come over, just so he'd have someone with him and he could hopefully get out of the house.

Sam agreed to let Blaine come over and they met at the motel. Blaine felt bad that Sam was still living there, but there wasn't much he could do to help, especially with his dad being home. He hoped that Cooper still planned on getting the house, and that he would allow Sam to move in with them. 

Blaine knocked on the door, then looked down at the ground. He wasn't sure if he had any cuts, he hadn't looked in a mirror yet and didn't plan to any time soon. The door opened and Sam immediately pulled him into a hug. Blaine hugged back. "What's this for?"

"Thought you might need it," Sam replied. "Well, both of us need it..."

"Because of Burt?"

"No... Finn didn't tell you? About Kurt?"

"I don't think so..."

"Oh..." Sam pulled away from the hug, letting Blaine get a good look at his face for the first time since he got there. His eyes were red and puffy and he still had tears on his cheeks.

"What happened?" Blaine asked, drying Sam's eyes with his sleeve. Sam took Blaine's hand and led him into the room, then handed him his phone. "You want me to look at your texts?" Sam nodded. Blaine read the texts that were open, even though he didn't feel right doing so. After he read them, he dropped the phone onto the bed and covered his face with his hands. He had barely skimmed the messages, only seeing what was really important - Kurt, hospital, overdose, something about not wanting to be without his father. He wanted to cry, or even scream, but he stayed silent. He felt so many emotions, but at the same time, none at all. Sam didn't say anything either, they both had so much they wanted to say but couldn't figure out how. Finally, Blaine spoke up. "Is he okay?"

"I...I don't know. I haven't heard anything since then."

"I could've done something..."

"Blaine, no..."

"Yes. He was calling and texting me, and I didn't answer. If I did, I could've done something. Or if I let him stay at my house. He'd even told me before-"

"Stop. Please. It's not your fault, okay? It's nobody's. I could blame myself too, he helped me but I wasn't there for him. But I'm not gonna think about that. And besides, he's okay. Finn said he's in the hospital, so...it'll be fine."

"And if it's not?"

"Shh... Can we just...be quiet for a bit? I have my phone on, so if Finn has any updates on what's going on..."

The two laid in bed together and held each other close. Blaine cried into Sam's shirt, but Sam stayed quiet. He wasn't crying anymore, even though he felt like he should. He was almost angry at himself for not feeling more. After a while, Sam's phone rang. He picked it up immediately. Blaine tried listening to the conversation, but couldn't get much out of it. He was just relieved that Sam didn't seem upset. After a while, he put the phone down. "Get in the car. We're gonna go see Finn."


	32. Until the End of Time, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of last chapter, same TW applies (mentions of suicide)

Continuation of last chapter, so same TW applies

Finn was sitting at Kurt's desk, and Sam and Blaine were cuddling on the bed. Nobody said anything. Finn was staring at the piece of paper on the desk, the note he'd read ten times already but still didn't understand every part of it. He didn't want to be, but he was a bit angry at Kurt. He had just lost his stepdad and now had to worry about losing his stepbrother as well. But he knew this would happen, Kurt had been implying it ever since Burt got sick.

Sam was angry as well, but at himself. He had more of an understanding of Kurt's thought process, so he didn't have as many questions. But since he'd been there himself, he should have known. He should have recognized the warning signs. Kurt had helped him, he should have been able to return the favor. He knew it wasn't a good time, but Sam was worried about himself as well. He felt extremely selfish for even thinking about himself right now, but he couldn't help it. Kurt had saved him, what would happen if he lost him? He felt like he was losing control again, and he knew that wouldn't be good.

And as for Blaine, he didn't feel anything. He didn't know if he was in denial, or just had so many feelings that they all cancelled out.

"He'll be okay, right?" Sam asked. He didn't think Finn would have the answer to that, but he knew the answer wouldn't be no. He needed to hear Finn say anything, even if he was just saying he couldn't answer that, just to remind himself there was a chance that this would turn out okay.

Finn shrugged. "I hope so. But maybe no news is good news. I'm waiting for my mom to call, she's supposed to update me when she hears something."

As much as he wanted to know what was going on, Sam dreaded hearing the phone ring. He associated phone calls with bad news. They were more serious. And as much as he hated not knowing, he'd rather never know than know something bad happened. "How are you feeling?" He asked Finn. "I can't imagine how hard it is, especially with the timing..."

"Honestly? Angry. I don't want to be, but I can't help it," Finn replied. "You?"

"Kurt was my reason to get better. He believed in me, he tried to help when nobody else would. He saw I needed something no matter how much I hid it. I need him. That sounds selfish, doesn't it?"

Finn shook his head. "Not at all."

"Blainey, how are you?" Sam asked, running his fingers through Blaine's hair. Blaine just shrugged. He didn't want to talk, he wasn't even sure if he could. "Don't worry too much, okay?"

"I don't know if this'll help, but...he talks about you two a lot," Finn said. "Both of you. All good things. Like... Blaine, he likes your hair, even if there's too much gel. And he thinks you're adorable. Sam, he always says you're really funny and give the best hugs. And I know he cares about you a lot. Both of you."

"Thanks," Sam said, smiling a bit. Blaine stayed quiet. Nobody spoke for a while after that. 

Eventually, Finn's phone rang, so he quickly ran out of the room to answer. He came back after a few minutes, smiling a bit. "He's okay. We can't see him or anything, but he'll be home in a few days," he said.


	33. Sugar Bear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song - Someone Saved My Life Tonight by Elton John
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-2vN3YJ29k

For the next few days, Blaine avoided Sam. He didn't really have anyone else to talk to besides him, so he was often alone. When Kurt came back, he was greeted with smiles and hugs from everyone except Blaine. He knew something was off, but didn't want to question it.

Blaine's biggest fear has always been losing someone close to him. It happened a few times already, although it wasn't physical loss. He'd lost the relationship he used to have with his father, and had a feeling the same was happening with Cooper. He lost Sebastian, as well as the other Warblers. He hadn't spoken to them since his transfer. 

Blaine didn't pay much attention during glee club that day. He zoned out almost the entire time, only listening when he was asked to perform a solo, which he said he didn't want to do. He didn't feel he had the motivation to perform, and felt that he would only drag the rest of the group down at regionals. He barely paid attention during rehearsals, only doing anything when they were working on a group number. Kurt and Sam were doing a duet, but Blaine always left before that.

The night of regionals came quickly. Before they went onstage, the club members gathered around to do the pep talk, something they always had before performing. Finn was in charge of speaking, and he only said one thing: "Let's win this for Burt."

The group number was first. While standing onstage, Blaine did his best to look out at the audience. He could make out a group of boys in Dalton uniforms. He smiled, happy to know that he didn't actually lose the Warblers. He smiled even more when he noticed that Sebastian was with them, and Cooper as well. Blaine performed with more energy than he had in days.

After the group number, Finn and Rachel sang a duet, then Santana sang a solo. Then it was time for Kurt and Sam's duet, the final number in their set. Blaine was excited to hear their duet, he hadn't yet and didn't even know what song they were doing.

The stage lights were dim, the only light being two soft blue spotlights, one on Kurt and the other on Sam. The song was beautiful and the two sounded amazing together. Blaine didn't realize the importance of their song choice until they got to the chorus. The two sang in unison, their voices blending together beautifully. For most of it, they kept their eyes on each other, but both glanced at Blaine occasionally.

_"And someone saved my life tonight, sugar bear.  
You almost had your hooks in me, didn't you dear.  
You nearly had me roped and tied,  
Altar-bound, hypnotized,  
Sweet freedom whispered in my ear.  
You're a butterfly,   
And butterflies are free to fly,  
Fly away, high away, bye bye."_

They were both in tears by the end, and as soon as they stepped offstage, Blaine ran over to hug them both. "You guys were amazing."

At the end of the competition, every group lined up onstage and waited for the winners to be announced. The third place winners were announced, and everyone was hopeful that they would win. "And in second place... The New Directions!"

Despite coming in second, everyone was still proud of themselves. They had come in second for sectionals as well, but knew they wouldn't be able to get the first place team disqualified this time. "We don't need that trophy," Finn said. "Yeah, it sucks, but we have each other."


	34. Movin' Out

Cooper took Blaine to the diner after the competition again, and this time invited Sebastian, Kurt, and Sam to join them. Sebastian and Kurt accepted the offer immediately, but Sam was hesitant. He did accept, though.

Blaine sat between Kurt and Sam, with Cooper and Sebastian across from them. Kurt still didn't like Sebastian much, so he tried to avoid speaking to him. He noticed Sam hadn't eaten much, but didn't want to say anything. Cooper seemed to notice as well. "Sam? Can I talk to you for a minute?" 

Sam looked up. "Huh? Sure, I guess so..." He got up and followed Cooper to the other side of the restaurant. 

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay," Cooper said. "You seem upset about something."

"Oh. It's nothing," Sam replied. He didn't mind telling the truth, he wasn't really trying to hide anything. He only denied it because he didn't want Cooper to feel he had to do anything for him.

"Sam, you can talk to me. Really, it's okay."

Meanwhile, Blaine was hoping they would hurry up and come back, because the tension between Kurt and Sebastian was almost unbearable. They were glaring at each other, but neither spoke. Blaine hoped it would stay that way, he didn't know what to do if they fought. They eventually came back after a few minutes, and Blaine immediately grabbed Sam's hand.

"Blainey," Cooper said. "Remember when I first got here, I told you I'd find a way to get you out of the house?" Blaine nodded. "Well, I see I didn't move fast enough... I got a small apartment nearby, with the help of Sebastian. He'll be living with me. It's a three bedroom apartment, and I'm more than happy to share a room with Sebby. So I have two extras, one for Blaine, and the other for Kurt or Sam. Maybe both, if Blaine doesn't mind sharing with one of you."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass," Kurt replied. "It's not because of you, Sebastian. Finn and Carole need me at home."

"That's fine," Cooper said. "Sam? What about you?" 

Sam looked up. "Oh, um-"

"Before you answer," Cooper interrupted. "Even if you don't stay with us, I'm paying for you to go to treatment. I know you want to," he said quietly. 

Sam smiled a bit. When they were talking, Sam had mentioned his disorder and told Cooper that, although he wanted to recover, his parents couldn't afford to take him to treatment. He had been pretending he was fine for months because he knew they'd spend all the money they had been saving for a house on doctors appointments for him. "Thank you."

"Of course. So, do you want to come? Even if it's only for a few days?"

"Please," Blaine said.

"Sure!" Sam replied.

"Yay!" Blaine smiled and hugged him. "And can we give Kurt a key, even if he's not staying with us? So he can come whenever he wants?"

"Yeah, that's fine with me," Cooper replied.

"Thank you, Cooper," Kurt said. "You're much nicer than you seem."

The next few months were great. Sam was doing much better and still did all he could to help his parents. His younger siblings came over for sleepovers often. Blaine and Cooper's relationship improved, and Blaine was happier than ever. Kurt didn't come over much at first, but started coming more often after a few weeks. He was still upset about his dad, but started smiling more and more. Blaine made sure to spend a lot of time alone with Kurt. He knew living with Sam wouldn't affect their relationship in any way, but didn't want Kurt feeling left out. Kurt and Sam stayed close friends, but never became anything more than that. They each had feelings for the other, but didn't want to risk complicating the relationship.

After high school, Kurt got his own apartment and invited Sam and Blaine to move in with him, which they agreed to, leaving Cooper and Sebastian on their own. They still tried to get together often though. Everyone was happy, happier than ever before.


End file.
